<p>We have applied to 4 schools each with a different policy regarding F/A. Some schools say that it has NO IMPACT on acceptance (i.e. Exeter) and that they highly encourage families to apply. Obviously they have the largest endowment and can advertise Financial Aide.</p>
<p>On the other hand, a few of the smaller schools ... have indicated in writing that application for f/a will effect acceptance, because they will only accept a f/a applicant if there is a spot and money available for them. This seems to promote the idea that they do not want you to apply for it unless you desperately need it. </p>
<p>Weould hate to apply for f/a (just to see if any was available to help with the $30K a year bill) ... only to be Wait-Listed by the school and never admitted
when we probably could afford the bill. </p>
<p>Thoughts on this? Anyone been wait-listed because they included a request for Financial Aide?</p>
<p>My humble opinion is that all things being equal, just about any school will take the full-paying applicant.</p>
<p>That being said, it is difficult to say that all things are ever equal.</p>
<p>Things I believe to be true about FA and FA applicants...</p>
<p>1) If you've got something they need, you will get FA. These schools have programs that need to be filled out and balanced. The football team can't all be QBs, the hockey team must have a goalie, and 5 oboe players and 1 french horn player does not make a balanced orchestra.</p>
<p>2) Schools want an overall balance of students (diversity of race, religion, geography, etc.) that does not interfere with the culture that they want to inculcate. To the extent that they cannot get full paying students to achive this, FA applicants are selected to achieve these objectives.</p>
<p>If you think you can afford $30K EFC (expected family contribution) per year for your child to attend boarding school, my guess is that the SSS thinks you can afford more. I've not run into a single person who has not been surprised how high the EFC turns out to be. A popular euphanism for EFC on the college side is "Every Friggin Cent" with a more impolite word substituted for the second word.</p>
<p>In my situation, I ran my numbers through some of the college FA calculators and came up with very similar numbers to SSS's number for boarding school FA. You might want to look over on the college FA side of CC and get the link to one of those sites. </p>
<p>It is not uncommon to have an EFC of 20 - 25% of your AGI, depending upon assets and debt levels, if you want a rough estimate.</p>
<p>I think that even schools that are need blind only give aid to the truly exceptional. I'm not sure I'd go fishing for aid if you can afford the school unless you have a hook. They will probably come to the conclusion you can afford it if you can, few have lower EFCs than they imagined. So if you're half black, half Native American, are a star hockey player who overcame 2 forms of cancer and have a 4.0/99 SSAT, then maybe.</p>
<p>And don't be confused by school size and the money they have. SPS has the largest per pupil endowment and is considered the most generous prep. Exeter just became need blind.</p>
<p>i've been curious weather financial aid effects admissions (im not applying for FA). I've asked my dad this question and he asked a couple of his friends this question. one freind said "if you apply for financial aid, its harder to get in b/c a majority of the applicants are wealthy," another friend(who is an admissions officer for a private school) said " that if you apply for FA, its harder to get in, b/c even though its a school, its still business, and business is buisness." is any of these true?????????????</p>
<p>FA puts you in a MORE competitive pool of students... NO QUESTION ABOUT IT</p>
<p>If you can not afford the school without FA, then by ALL MEANS do apply, you have nothing to loose... otherwise you better be THE Best URM/Recruit out there</p>
<p>Most of the full scholarships etc.. are already earmarked for ABC type of programs, so unless your kid is in them... dont dream about it...</p>
<p>How do I know? because one of the schools AddComm told me. yes it is one of the Favorite schools on this board.</p>