<p>how much does applying for financial aid in privates affect ur chances in getting in?</p>
<p>It depends on whether the school is need aware (may use ability to pay as a factor in admissions decision) or need blind (does not use FA as a factor in the admissions decision).</p>
<p>Which schools are you considering?</p>
<p>Keep in mind that most private schools do not have much aid to give. </p>
<p>Then there are the few elite privates that are need-blind and meet 100% of need.</p>
<p>Then there are some privates that meet or try to meet need, but are “need aware”.</p>
<p>Then there are a lot of privates that don’t meet need so they are need blind.</p>
<p>Yes, apply to the private schools which meet 100% of need like the poster above said. A good one is University of Rochester, look into that.</p>
<p>I need to add that there are 2 different types of schools that meet 100% of need.</p>
<p>One type does it with no or small loans.</p>
<p>Another type meets 100% of need with bigger or even large loans.</p>
<p>And, remember, the school gets to decide what YOUR family’s demonstrated need is…and each school can come up with a different number based on their own formulas. So, your family may think it can only pay - say - $15k per year. But a school can look at the family’s income and assets (they don’t care about debt) and say that you can pay $30k per year. Then, there’s a problem.</p>
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<p>The OPs question is about the role applying for FA has on admissions, not about which schools have good FA.</p>
<p>True…</p>
<p>I guess it would be better if we listed schools that we know (or have well-founded suspicions) are “need aware”.</p>
<p>BTW…Most publics are need blind. </p>
<p>Keep in mind that need blind does NOT mean that they meet need. You are probably most interested in schools that are need blind AND meet 100% of need w/o big loans.</p>
<p>Note that there are four approaches to FA (example schools):
Need Need
Blind Aware
Meets Full Need
For All Students
Yes **Yale Reed**
No **NYU ***
</p>
<ul>
<li>I can’t find one of these; can someone suggest one?</li>
</ul>
<p>Are you asking for a school that is “need aware” and also doesn’t meet full need?</p>
<p>I would suggest Santa Clara…but I’m not sure.</p>
<p>Colgate is definitely need aware and I don’t believe they guarantee to meet full need for all students, though they do meet need for low income students.</p>
<p>S liked both Colgate and Bucknell, but had to eliminate some schools from his list, so he applied to Colgate. Both are need aware, but Colgate says it meets 100% of need and Bucknell does not.</p>
<p>Thanks, Bucknell can be the asterisk. :)</p>
<p>When did U of Rochester start meeting full need?</p>
<p>Many private schools that do not specify that they are need blind on there materials tend to be need aware. This is a “braggin’ point” for such schools, so they are very clear in letting folks know that situation.</p>
<p>Does anyone know if Loyola Marymount, Pepperdine, or Chapman are privates that need blind AND meet 100% of need w/o big loans? I haven’t found out yet whats going on over there in this region.</p>
<p>See section H of each school’s Common Data Set:</p>
<p>[LMU</a> Common Data Set (CDS)](<a href=“http://www.lmu.edu/about/services/academicplanning/IR/surveys/CDS.htm]LMU”>http://www.lmu.edu/about/services/academicplanning/IR/surveys/CDS.htm)
[Pepperdine hides the data]
[Chapman hides the data]</p>
<p>Being need-blind or need-aware should be mostly irrelevant to applicants (it affects chances of acceptance for those needing FA, not the attractiveness of the school); meeting 100% of need is what is critical to know.</p>
<p>Be aware that it is possible to get the best fin aid package from a need aware school and/or school that does not meet 100% of need. NYU, for instance, has given some kids I know their best financial aid package. Schools that are need aware like Wash U are often very generous to those accepted to the school. So just picking those schools that meet 100% of need and are need blind is not the best strategy to maximize your choices. Also, it often comes down to the individual schools’ definition of need which does differ from school to school, and how much of the package turns out to be self help rather than grants. If you are a highly desired student at a school, your chances are higher as to how much aid you get most of the time. Test scores are one good indicator of where you stand in the applicant pool.</p>
<p>Wow I can’t understand how you can get the best package from a school that won’t give you 100% of demonstrated need, but I definitely believe you. From part of my email with Pepperdine </p>
<p>"However, a zero EFC does mean that 100 percent of your need is met by the University. When you are able to apply then your FAFSA will be evaluated and we will be to see how much aid we can offer you. The only aid that is guaranteed is federal aid meaning pell grant, seog grant and loans (student and parent if it applies due to age of student). We do not meet 100% of the need. Please let me know if you have any specific questions. "</p>
<p>I’m a little confused though re-reading this message - Is she saying the need is 100% or not. I’ll have to re-email her.</p>
<p>It sounds like having zero EFC means they give 100% of COA, but if you have some EFC (meaning you’re not among the poorest) then you must pay the EFC and then some more.</p>
<p>Perhaps she meant “We do not meet 100% of the need unless your EFC is zero.”</p>
<p>My daughter attends LMU. They are definitely need award but are not need blind. We have a very low EFC. They have given her a $16,000 scholarship every year she has been there (she is an incoming junior). She also has some federal grants. They rest is federal loans, for her and us. Pepperdine and Chapman operate the same. They do not meet 100% of need even if your EFC is zero.</p>