<p>Just out of curiosity, does not applying for financial aid help at a need blind school? It seems that it would be taken into consideration, as it technically wouldn't be violating the need blind policy, correct? Also, by taking someone who is paying full fare, it makes it possible for the school to take students who cannot pay. Anyone have any info on this?</p>
<p>I know your take on this, ilcapo, but when a school says it's need blind I believe them. I wouldn't feel too comfortable applying to a school that I thought was lying, as I posted elsewhere...</p>
<p>Ilc
Just wanted to congrat you on P. You worked so hard on your essays, its nice to be rewarded.
the financial stuff has been addressed before, so I'll leave it for othrs with more knowledge to reply</p>
<p>Where's Mini? He has strong views on this.</p>
<p>I asked this question at a Bryn Mawr Open House--they're not need blind but they said admissions decisions and financial aid are kept separate initially. But at the end of the process if a candidate is borderline accept, that might just tip the balance if no aid has been applied for.</p>
<p>I actually find it awfully strange that an admissions committee would actually sit there and say "Well this kid needs 20,000 but this kid only needs 10,000". It just doesn't seem in the character of an admissions office.</p>
<p>What I am curious of is whether need-blind admissions also applies to the "Not applying for financial aid" or the "Applying for financial aid" check box that everyone fills out.</p>
<p>Well, I know I'm just one case, but not applying for aid and having great stats/hopes still got me rejected at Stanford.</p>
<p>I know it's random, but not applying for aid sure didn't help there :P</p>
<p>Ilcapo, Johns Hopkins is also pretty open about the fact that when they get to a certain point in admissions decisions, they do consider need if two candidates are similar in terms of stats, etc. You can read their statement on their financial aid web site. So, yes, at SOME schools, adcoms do actually sit there at some point and say "Well, this kid needs 20,0000 but this kid only needs 10,000..." But again, Johns Hopkins is not a need blind school. Need blind schools (and there are fewer and fewer each year) supposedly do not do this.</p>
<p>"I actually find it awfully strange that an admissions committee would actually sit there and say "Well this kid needs 20,000 but this kid only needs 10,000". </p>
<p>Il, if a school is need -sensitive or need aware these conversations are very likely to happen especially if the students are similar in all other aspects and they are down to the bottom of their financial aid budget. There are really only very few schools that are actually need blind in hte admissions process the majority are need sensitive or need aware.</p>
<p>I think what people tend to confuse is need blind (you needing financial aid will not be a factor in determing whether or not you will be admitted) with demonstrated need in the financial aid process (what the school believes that you and yoru family can afford to pay), or the ability of a school to meet 100% of your demonstrated need (meeting that demonstrated need can also be loan heavy). </p>
<p>Some people think that because a school is need blind that it equates to a full ride (I has seen this misconception a lot on the international board) andhte student will not have to pay any money or they make statements like I can only afford to pay X amount of dollars.</p>
<p>We parents have said this so many times, ifyou need money, state that you need aid because it is not to your benefit to be admitted and have no way to pay the bill. </p>
<p>"by taking someone who is paying full fare, it makes it possible for the school to take students who cannot pay" In the words of Mini (we do listen to you) almost every student is subsidized in school because no one actually pays the full cost of attendance. His favorite example is Williams where the actual cost of attendance is some where in the neighbord of 55-60,000 so every one starts out with a free gift.</p>
<p>ilcapo, I know for internationals there are only a few schools that are need blind. So if you say you need, your chances are less than others.</p>
<p>Carolyn, is it true that the list of need blind schools is becoming shorter every year?</p>
<p>And mini does have an opinion on this...</p>
<p>Yes, several schools that I am aware of have moved away from being need blind recently. Take Macalester, for example - they are in the process (may have already finalized) plans to switch from need blind to need aware but still will guarantee to meet 100% of need of accepted students. In many cases, schools say this is a result of the drop in value of their endowments. Mini probably has the exact numbers but only a small percentage of the 3500+ schools in the U.S. are totally need blind right now (I keep thinking the number is 50 but I could be wrong). And, that goes for both domestic AND international students.</p>
<p>When the majority of families at the top schools are paying the full cost, it's naive to believe that needing money does not matter.</p>
<p>Hi, ilcapo, you're already in at a school that will give applicants a full ride, if need be, so you're asking this question for information, or for a friend, right? In YOUR case, you definitely want to apply for financial aid. You've already been admitted, and your school is reputed to be generous.</p>
<p>tokenadult - i didn't apply for financial aid as my father's friends set up a trust for me after he died. i was asking this question, because i was wondering whether this did help me or not. i also thought it was strange that in my acceptance packet they said if i wanted to apply for financial aid, i still could.</p>
<p>ilcapo, will your 'trust fund' friends come to visit you in Princeton? :)
That would be a topic of another essay. I remember from the old forum who those people are!! :)</p>
<p>hahahah, good times, good times.</p>
<p>don't get sarcastic or they may be paying a visit to you! mwahahha</p>
<p>A friend who is an accountant and quite "comfortable" financially said to me "no one pays the sticker price" at colleges --even rather rich folks find a way to game the system, hide assets and get some aid.</p>
<p>Anyone here care to comment?</p>
<p>We're paying the sticker price. It would never have dawned on me to try to do otherwise. It's sad and disturbing that your friend thinks everyone is immoral. And even though he generalizes about college parents, I'll refrain from generalizing about accountants. :-)</p>
<p>Hubbell's dad:</p>
<p>We are paying full freight at Davidson(along with airfare for trips home during Thanksgiving and Xmas etc..) close to $40K a year-straight out of my checking account; even with 18 years of planning and saving for college, I still say 'ouch' every time a write a check to the school; another son soon to start. Too 'rich' for any aid, not rich enough to say it is a mere after-thought to pay for it all.</p>
<p>I trust the schools that say they are need blind to be so. There are some schools that are mum on the issue, and some that say that they are not 100% need blind. When you see how apps come into an admissions office, you can see that it would be difficult to try to calculate the financial impact of every application. Many kids who apply for financial aid end up ineligible or only for a few thousand in loans. That is a whole different story from someone who needs close to $40K and you just can't make them borrow that whole amount. </p>
<p>As for people cheating on financial aid, I am sure it is done. Have seen it done. But I also know people who cheat on their taxes in many ways, and I know many people who budget and scrimp and pay full freight through loans and savings and earnings. The worst offenders I see are families with divorce in the picture. </p>
<p>Also many familes can get merit aid of sorts or loans with favorable terms that are not from the financial aid offices. There are many different ways for people to go.</p>