<p>I was just thinking about this, I mean I know it's not politically correct for these top universities (HYPS) to say, but really, why wouldn't they preference those who either don't need fin aid at all or those who need a lot of fin aid, I mean this way they could come out and say "woah our avg package is 30k a year!" IT boils down to this for me, if they were really need-blind, why do they ask you on the app if you are applying for financial aid instead of just expecting a FAFSA+CSS from everyone.</p>
<p>B/c it would be a pain in the butt for people who will NEVER qualifiy for financial aid to have to fill out a FAFSA.</p>
<p>The only thing that need blind means is that your having a financial need (regardless of the amount) will not be held against you in the admissions process.</p>
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they were really need-blind, why do they ask you on the app if you are applying for financial aid instead of just expecting a FAFSA+CSS from everyone.
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<p>In the concept of one size fits all, most schools use one single application.
However most schools are not need blind and of the schools that are need blind, even fewer are need blind to international students (so why change the form).</p>
<p>Are colleges totally need blind? IMHO, no. If you have a big orange fee waiver attached to your application, suffice it to say you will most likely need a lot of money from the school to make attending dooable.</p>
<p>most admissions officers are very astute when it comes to the schools in their region and the demographics those schools serve (will there be exceptions? of course, but most will be on point)</p>
<p>On the front of your application it does ask about your parents educational achievement and what your parents do for a living which will give some indication about the family's financial status.</p>
<p>supposedly, the reason they ask on the app is so admissions can notify FinAid once they've made a decision. In addition to sybbie's post, admissions can also guess-timate financial wealth based on ECs -- crew, fencing, lacrosse, world class piano recitals, and the like -- all take a lot of money to participate in. Contrast that with a student who works as a grocery bagger after school.</p>