<p>I've heard from my friends that applying through ED considerably reduces one's chances of financial aid, but university websites suggest otherwise. I am an international student applying to UPenn through ED, could you please tell me if applying through ED would reduce chances of financial aid?</p>
<p>My take on this that it is not su much that you woulf have a reduced chance of financial aid, my concern is that as an international student some of the things that you will need to keep in mind before committing to ED are;</p>
<p>There are very few schools that are need blind to international students (at many schools your abilty to pay will be a factor in the admissions process). Those that are need blind are also amongst the most competitive schools. </p>
<p>Most schools only have limited funds for internationals students so if accepted, you may not get the full funding that you need. Again, schools that meet 100% of your demonstrated need for international students are amongst the hardest to gain admission. </p>
<p>You will be in a very large international applicant pool. So even at a school like Princeton which is need blind, with 4600 total undergraduates , if the freshman class is about 1125 students and 7% are international students we are talking about 78 students. Most of the international students who apply will not be admitted.</p>
<p>The problem as I see it that an international student who is applying and does not get the aid they need will probably not be able to obtain a visa to come to study because you have to prove that you have enough funding. Since ED, is binding and you are suppose to withdraw all of your other applications, you could be caught with no place to attend.</p>
<p>Penn states the following:</p>
<p>If you are a Non-Citizen
The University is able to offer financial assistance to very few students who are not citizens or permanent residents of the U.S., Canada or Mexico.*** Therefore, most non-citizens should plan to meet expenses for their entire schooling before applying for admission. ***</p>
<p>**Because the offer of admission for non-citizens is directly linked to their ability to meet these expenses, candidates who can pay for their schooling are urged not to apply for Penn-sponsored assistance. **</p>
<p>*If You Require Financial Aid *
Students who absolutely require such funding should submit Penn's Institutional Financial Aid Application, but they should also understand that they are in competition for very limited funds.
**Penn will not admit a financial aid candidate for whom we cannot provide aid. As a result, some candidates we would otherwise want to admit will be turned away. **</p>
<p>International applicants who anticipate the need for financial aid at any time during their four-year course of study must make this anticipated need known at the time of application. </p>
<p>Students who receive financial aid are assured of continued support for all of their undergraduate years, if they continue to demonstrate financial need.</p>
<p>Sybbie...thanks a lot for that great response, really was helpful.</p>
<p>I did have a look at what the Penn website says and that's the only factor worrying me in the admissions process. Hence, I'm probably going to ask for only about a third to 40% of funding, as compared to the 60% or so I'd be filling out on the needblind ones, HYP & Co. </p>
<p>Even then, I recognise that more mediocre candidates with greater financial standing would perhaps stand a better chance, which is pretty sucky...I had this girl from my school who scored a 1370 on the SAT, had straight Bs in school and no particular honours to note, yet she was taken into UPenn because she didn't ask for aid. Admittedly, asking for aid is a necessary evil for me.</p>
<p>Thanks a lot once again</p>
<p>anyone knows if Wash U in st. Louis in need blind?</p>
<p>*Washington University provides a limited amount of financial assistance for a small number of freshman and transfer international students who have shown high levels of achievement. Financial assistance for qualified students is considered on a case-by-case basis. Although we do our best to provide competitive financial assistance packages, funding limitations prevent the University from providing financial support for all applicants who deserve it, nor is it always possible to meet every recipients requirements. Financial assistance is renewable for each year of undergraduate study, as long as the student is making normal progress toward the degree and maintaining a good academic record.</p>
<p>Financial assistance for qualified students is usually limited to awards that are substantially less than the full cost of tuition. You and your family will need to be able to pay the remaining portion of the total costs of attending Washington University. </p>
<p>Proof of Financial Support</p>
<p>In compliance with Immigration and Naturalization Services (INS) regulations, Washington University requires all admitted international students to submit detailed financial information statements before a Form I-20 can be processed. These statements should include the amounts and sources of funds available for their educational expenses in the United States. Admitted students will receive the Declaration and Certification of Finances by mail.</p>
<p>Admitted students must submit (or have submitted for them) notarized letters from parents or sponsors and certified bank statements in English verifying that they have sufficient funds available to finance their first years tuition and living expenses and that a comparable amount of money will be available for every subsequent year of study. Financial assistance awards may be deducted from the amount to be certified. Students planning to enroll in summer courses are advised to budget an additional amount of money to cover their summer tuition expenses. </p>
<p>The cost estimate for living expenses covers only minimal essential expenditures. Expenses for clothing, recreation, and incidentals are variable, and the cost of travel outside St. Louis is not included.</p>
<p>*It is very important that international students who wish to study at Washington University come prepared to financially support the cost of their education during the entire time that they expect to remain in the United States. **
<a href="http://admissions.wustl.edu/admissions/ua.nsf/3rd%20Level%20Pages_SFS_FA_International.htm?OpenPage&charset=iso-8859-1%5B/url%5D">http://admissions.wustl.edu/admissions/ua.nsf/3rd%20Level%20Pages_SFS_FA_International.htm?OpenPage&charset=iso-8859-1</a></p>
<p>thanks a lot dude.</p>