<p>If I apply for financial add at an elite (top-20-25 school) will it affect my admission chances? Before you answer, just know that my parents make around $200,000 a year before taxes. If the college doesn't offer me financial aid, I'd probably still be able to pay; but would the fact that I checked the "I will be applying for need-based financial aid" box affect my admission?</p>
<p>Here are the colleges I'm interested in knowing this for:</p>
<p>1.) Harvard
2.) Yale
3.) Princeton
4.) Stanford
5.) Duke
6.) Notre Dame
7.) Johns Hopkins
8.) Columbia
9.) Cornell
10.) Washington at St. Louis</p>
<p>Only Harvard, Yale, and Princeton advertise themselves as need-blind when it comes to admissions. So for the other schools on your list, yes it will make a negative difference if you request FA.</p>
<p>Since your parents earn more than the cut-off for FA ($180,000.- is the upper limit at Harvard and Princeton), why are you even trying? </p>
<p>Do the colleges’ quick online FA calculators–that will show you if you are anywhere near qualifying.</p>
<p>Harvard, Princeton, Yale, and Columbia are need-blind for Canadians</p>
<p>And what fauve said is false, the amount of $180000 is only relevant to the policy which states that students coming from family income between $60000 and $180000 are only expected to contribute 10% of their income. None of the schools on your list has a definite income cut-off in terms of financial aid eligibility.</p>
<p>Some US colleges/universities offer equivalent financial aid packages to Canadian citizens, however, most treat Canadians like all the other international applicants. You need to research the policies at each of the institutions that you are interested in.</p>
<p>You also need to sit down with your parents and find out just exactly how much money they are able and willing to pay for your education. With a family income of USD 200,000 it is very unlikely that you will qualify for any need-based aid. Quite frankly, you would be better off to study at one of the Canadian Ivy/Near Ivy-equivalents such as McGill, U of T, Waterloo, and UBC. They will be much less expensive for you.</p>
<p>Just check it at HYP which may give you some. Unless you have others in college or unusual medical expenses, all you’d get from others is loans.</p>
<p>The OP himself states he is international (Canadian) and that his parents have the resources to pay for the tuition- thus my questioning why he would apply for FA. (And only H, P, Y, (maybe Stanford?) claim they are need blind for internationals.</p>
<p>If the OP does the quick online FA calculators at the individual college sites, he can get a quick answer about his eligibility.</p>
<p>My parents are willing to pay full or close to full tuition, so that’s not really the problem. The problem is whether or not checking the “I’m applying for FA” box will hurt my admission chances.</p>
<p>I think it could hurt your chances at schoiols #5-10 which do not claim to be need-blind for internationals. Why risk being tossed to the “No” pile if you are capable of paying your own way?</p>
<p>Applying for FAFSA has no bearing on chances of admission. They are distinct processes and not related. No one risks being tossed into a NO pile towards admissions when applying for FA. The worst that could happen is not receiving FA that’s it.</p>
<p>Unless the school specifically states it is “need-blind to internationals”, then the need for FA can certainly play a part in whether a qualified international applicant is admitted.</p>
<p>^I agree that most don’t have a clue. On the other hand, the official websites can be very helpful. From the Columbia website, for example:</p>
<p>"For United States, Mexican and Canadian citizens, permanent residents of the United States and students granted refugee visas by the United States:
Admission to Columbia College and to the undergraduate division of The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science is need-blind. This means we will consider your application without regard to your financial need.</p>
<p>For foreign students (students who are NOT Citizens of the United States, Mexico and Canada, permanent residents of the United States or students granted refugee visas by the United States):
Financial aid is available for foreign students, but candidates should be aware that the admission process is not need-blind. As a result, their applications are read in a more selective process. However, Columbia is committed to meeting the full need of all applicants admitted as first-year students regardless of their citizenship status.</p>
<p>As a foreign student, you should determine what amount you feel you and your family could afford to pay each year for four years of study. If you conclude that you and your family will be unable to assume the estimated total cost of attendance, you should apply for financial aid at the same time you apply for admission. If you are traveling to Columbia from another country, you will also want to consider travel expenses."</p>
<p>pbr, that’s exactly what I was looking for. I don’t know why everyone else is trying to discourage me to apply for FA, money doesn’t grow on trees.</p>
<p>Now I need to know if my 1st choice, Duke, is also need-blind for Canadians.</p>
<p>^Why don’t you look it up for yourself…All of this can be found on their websites…</p>
<p>For example…duke:
"Duke University encourages ALL qualified foreign nationals to apply for admission. The university will meet full demonstrated financial need for a limited number of international students applying for first-year admission. Because financial resources for these students are limited, each year Duke expects to enroll 20-25 first-year foreign citizens who receive need-based financial aid. Please note there is no need-based aid for international transfer applicants.</p>
<p>There are two applicant pools for foreign nationals: those not applying for financial aid who will be considered for admission along with US citizens and Lawful Permanent Residents, and those applying for financial aid who will be considered in a separate process for a limited number of places in the entering class. Also, foreign citizens who do not apply for financial aid initially may not subsequently apply for financial aid during their time at Duke unless they become U.S. citizens or permanent residents."</p>
<p>Straight from the website. Sounds like it’d be MUCH HARDER to get into Duke as an international needing aid/applying for aid.</p>