<p>What role does finaid play in admissions decision?</p>
<p>good question!!! omg i want to know too... cause... from what ive read it seems that vassar is NOT need blind in admitting people.... but like, that it ONLY matters if someone is really on the fence of getting in or not. thats just what ive heard.... idk</p>
<p>free college tuition at Vassar, change your name - NYTimes article
<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/03/nyregion/03scholarship.html%5B/url%5D">http://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/03/nyregion/03scholarship.html</a></p>
<p>As someone who got a lotta finacial aid from Vassar, lemme just share my experience. For those who do'nt know me, I'm currently a freshman at Vassar (Class of 2009) and wtih any luck, I may even end up being a Student Fellow to some of you.</p>
<p>Vassar is NOT need blind so they WILL consider the fact that you're applying for aid and they will consider it if you applied for a lot (I did). However, they are pretty fair and seems like they try not to let money stand in the way of an otherwise dynamic candidate. I know one or two people in the admissions office (literally one or two), so while my assesment of the admissions office probably isn't terribly comprehensive, they seem to be a pretty nice group of people.</p>
<p>One thing I remember being really worried about after I got in was that they'd still short-change me on the money and so my getting in would have been useless. Rest assured, they did not do that! As a matter of fact, the package they gave me was actually better than I'd hoped, I had to pay significantly less than the maximum amount I'd said I could pay.</p>
<p>Yeah I'm worried about the same thing; I need a lot of aid. Archit, if you don't mind me asking, about how much was your income and resulting financial aid package?</p>
<p>I've heard that the aid for international applicants is amazing, but what about everyone else? Do you have any idea what the aid is like for US kids? </p>
<p>I am so terrified about not getting any/much aid and spending the rest of my life paying off college debts, for Vassar or any other school. I'm also in a country where the universities are free. They think we're nuts (although their system has its downsides, too).</p>
<p>Heather, basically it came out that my parents could pay around $10,000 a year, tops (and that would've been really pulling together odds and ends). The projected cost of attendance is $41,000. Vassar gave me a Vassar Scholarship of around $30,000, loan of around $3,000 and institutional employment of around $2,000 making the total package roughly $35,000. My family contribution is $6,000.</p>
<p>I think I have seen some statements in the application forms Vassar sent me.It said that Vassar is mostly need-blind excerpt when they have two similiar applicants and the finaid counts.</p>
<p>VASSAR IS NOT NEEDS-BLIND! That is the most corrupt thing I have ever heard. I cannot believe that is true. How is that possible? I thought all good colleges were needs blind! Thats like discriminating against women or minorities or something. Wow. My life just took a turn for the worse.</p>
<p>Hi,efg88,I did not say that Vassar is need-blind.But please take a look at the application Vassar sent you.In the instruction it said that Vassar is MOSTLY need-blind.That is,the amount of finaid won't influence your chances much.But if another applicant and you both attract the admissions officers and there is only one place,then the finaid will have an influence,and so it's not need-blind.
It is a clear statement in Vassar's application instruction.And so it goes with many other colleges.So don't worry much about this.I almost gave up my favorate college because I heard it's extremely stingy.But a best friend said to me "If you gave up just because you're afraid it can't give enough finaid,I will really despise you!"And I applied ED and I made it.That college gave me even more aid than I had expected!</p>
<p>wow, archit, that is really sweet. congrats to you! I'm anxious with my situation cause my dad makes a fair amount of money, but he still has to rebuild his house that burned in a fire. so he cannot pay for any of my school, and is not willing to try. my mom, on the other hand, makes hardly anything. So it'll be interesting to see what they deem my financial need to be!</p>
<p>I am going to be someone who is on the fence. That means they are probably going to take into account whether I can pay or not, which is not a good thing. I cannot believe that they do that. All of the other 9 colleges I applied to are needs-blind. Why would vassar be different? I have lost so much respect for them. This entire thing disgusts me.</p>
<p>a lot of colleges say they're need blind but actually do the same thing as Vassar.</p>
<p>But they dont have a pre-financial aid application like vassar, so they have no way of knowing how much money you have.</p>
<p>^ya they do. fafsa.</p>
<p>Hey guys, i got accepted but will not receive the finaid award announcement till next week. I asked for a LOT of aid, more than archit...and I'm an international... so anxious!!! I keep thinking that if they won't give me the aid I need, they would've rejected me already. But they did admit me, so hopefully the finaid package will be satisfying so I can go to Vassar. I LOVE the school!!! It'd be tragic if I can't go only because of finaid :(</p>
<p>I had no idea they were not need-blind. I'm a RD applicant (chose to apply everywhere RD because of financial reasons). I was going to EDII Vassar, but was scared of the FA package. Both my sister and I applied to Vassar with nearly identical stats, but our EFCs are different (we filled in everything the exact same way, because neither one of us has ever been employed -- parenst have). I have an EFC of 1450 and my sister has an EFC 1547... does the fact that we're both applying with such heavy need going to play a significant role on our ability to be accepted?</p>
<p>hakuna matata: check your email. I just did. It freaked me out when I realized they were so quick at giving out your financial aid info. They gave me an awesome scholarship (like archit)... and I who couldn't celebrate because I was too worried about the money this morning (my parents aren't rich so I thought they'd have to live on nothing the next couple of years). I'm so relieved. I bet that you will get something similar to me. Don't worry. I AM CELEBRATING NOW ;). </p>
<p>Sorry if my English is all weird... I'm still shaking.</p>
<p>You're right, vemafe. Vassar's finaid is AWESOME!!! I couldn't be totally happy just because I was so anxious about finaid too. I'd expected the award a week after admission notification but I received it right away. So cool. And they asked for less than the maximum my parents can contribute (just like archit), replacing part of the EFC by loan and campus-employment. I'm so happy!!! YEAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH</p>
<p>emmared718: I almost waited for all schools Regular decisions like you, but then I emailed Vassar admission office and they said just go ahead apply ED II, my (huge) financial need won't affect. And I did. And now I'm celebrating. What do u mean by "EFC of 1450"?? U mean EFC = $1,450/year??? Well, if you're qualified, I'm sure they'll admit you and give you an awesome package. Gluck!</p>