Today, I received a letter in the mail from UPenn that said that I need to send in more information so they can evaluate my financial aid package. Does this mean that they are likely to admit me? Why would UPenn contact me knowing that I wasn’t a likely candidate?
Just though it was odd.
Many school would do that before the admission result particularly when it getting close to April. Otherwise, they would not have enough time to prepare the financial aid package on time in case you are accepted.
The letter from Penn means: they need more financial information. Period. That’s all it means.
Does it anywhere say that you are a likely candidate or a prospective acceptee?
Then no. The letter means what the letter means, nothing more.
Schools do not even consider financial aid until after someone is accepted. They do not chase after every applicants financial aid papers
That is not true at many schools. It is not true at Penn. Financial aid is separate from admissions there and they have to get packages ready for when the admit list is finalized.
Re post #5: This statement is largely incorrect. In general (and especially for the highly- and most-selective schools) the university’s Admissions and Financial Aid offices are entirely separate. This is necessary to ensure need-blind admissions. The FA operation adheres to its own policies, practices and schedules. It is VERY likely that there is NO acceptance significance – either favorable or unfavorable – to @pinkwhitered’s receipt of this Penn request. Incidentally, @turqluv, do you have any documentation to substantiate your assertion in post #5?
My S did the Financial Aid office dance with Manhattan School of Music for a month before they finally told him he wasn’t admitted. I don’t think the two offices were connected, but hard to say.
hope u get in. Just hope for the best.
There are need aware schools that they will look into your financial situation before decision. However, you would not hide your need in order to get admitted as you may not get the aid at the end. Even for these non need-blind schools, the verification process is likely independent of the admission process. They already have the information they need from the original financial information submitted on CSS profile or other forms.
@pinkwhitered Take the message at face value: they need info you did not provide. As explained in posts above, the FA and admissions departments are separate entities.
I am asking the question, I have no information and no reason to think my speculations are correct, I am waiting to hear like everyone else and I hope to get FA. I was too lazy to look up actual numbers and am using UPenn as a proxy for any need blind top school
Seems like an inefficient system. So lets say 65% of applicants at UPenn are asking for FA. Of those, 70% are highly unlikely applicants because their stats are not in line (as are 70% of non FA applicants). So they get 30k applicants (too lazy to look up actual numbers, playing here). Of which 19,500 are asking for FA. Of those 13,600 will not get in (allowing for the 50 who have some special quality that is not obvious but qualifies them) no matter what. The remaining 29% have a shot. Some have a great shot, some it is a coin flip and some will be considered and then rejected but no matter. It seems ridiculous that the FA people are reviewing 19,500 applications and giving the kid who got a 1700/2.9 GPA WO hooks the same review as the intel winner or the recruited blue ribbon golfer that the coach is staking his career on or even the normal 2250 3.9UW GPA with a long list of typical leadership ECs. Why review 19,500 FA applications when you can review 6000 instead? Even 6000 people is a lot of work.
I can see the FA office not being able to give information to admissions (as in if you take this 2250 he will need more money than this other 2250, I assume that does not happen) but just from a man power point of view, does Admissions send an email to FA on February 1 (picked random date), we have no idea if these people asked for money but if they did do not bother they will not make it? Then if one happens to win an academy award in the interim, it is just one person so relatively easy to do the calculations in a hurry if necessary
The logistics of the FA program of a school that does not award merit scholarships being based on academics is just not worth it.
If the aid they give is across the board, that is, this is your family’s EFC and this therefore is your FA, then it is no problem to calculate FA for everyone instead of a third after looking at everyone’s stats.
You are confusing manpower, which would have to be used to screen applications as essays and recommendations come into play, with computer power, where you can just compile all the CSS Profiles and FAFSAs and spit out numbers. Again, because there is no merit aid.
Athletes do not matter, they are handled ED.
It is FAR easier to do bulk calculations for 20,000 students at once vs. do calculations for 6,000 and then keep doing one here, one there. Computers are smart.
I have read on The Ivy Coach’s website that selective admissions offices are not need-blind. They say they are, but they like to have some full-pay students because they offset other students’ tuition.
@SaphireNY I agree with what you’re saying. Of course, you and I could be wrong, but it just seems illogical to send out a letter in March asking for my financial information if UPenn has no intention of admitting me. Why go through all that trouble to deny an applicant?
@rhandco And of course, you may be right too, and I could be very wrong. But it just seems silly to ask every single applicant for their financial info if they’ve not been admitted.
rhandco, your analysis makes sense for the straight employed, the W2s, not self employed, no siblings in college or private school, no elderly relatives requiring care. Real numbers are much messier than that, especially when they ask for tax returns, look at home equity (which they recalculate I am told). I would hope people are looking them over.
How is a computer going to interpret “please provide us with any additional information you think will impact your aid”
What is the point of asking that? Now I am wondering if I should have filled that box in just so we get a human reading it
FA officers want to stay employed.
Why ask anyone for FA info before being accepted, if a school is need-blind?
It is a huge hassle to parents to file FAFSA let alone CSS Profile before taxes are due, especially if there is a complicated situation.
As for W2s, self-employed, etc., there’s a line for that. Probably the most common non-standard thing is divorced parents, but it is all electronic and all goes into a formula. Run it once for all the applications.
And as for need-blind vs. not, if a school is asking for your FA form, did you tell them you’d submit and you didn’t yet? At least some schools ask whether the student is applying for FA on the Common App.
i think you’re in. congrats!
@RunningForLife I sure hope so. Penn is #2 on my college list.
@rhandco Yes, I indicated on my App that I needed financial aid. I only submitted partial documentation, however.
They ask you if you need FA because colleges are truly not need blind.