<p>Or viewed another way, many colleges, including the most selective, use implied family financial information in order to identify and admit students from lower economic tiers: not to keep them out, but to get them in! In other words, in the right demographic circumstances having a low EFC can be a plus, not a minus.</p>
<p>The exception, I think, is for upper to middle class White applicants whose families for various reasons can’t come up with tuition (which I think is becoming increasingly common these days). These kids are getting caught in the middle class squeeze and unless they qualify for merit aid, they’re pretty much being squeezed out of selective privates.</p>