There is a perceived notion in my area that private high schools would admit a less than ideal candidate/lower stats candidate if they are full pay. Is this true at the collegiate (privates) level as well?
Depends on the college in question and how big their endowment is and their financial aid budget and policies. At some colleges it might give one a slight edge. At others who meet full financial need, its not going to help at all. Any competitive college isn’t going to dip too low. To the extent a college does so, it is usually reserved for a student who has a major “hook” like a superior athlete or an extremely wealthy family that has or can make sizable donations.
If the student doesn’t have the credentials needed it doesnt matter how much money they have, it wont get you in.
The opposite, however, may be true. Students that present a strong application may get denied if the school is unable to meet their financial need and their admission policy is need aware. Thid is to avoid situations where the student would very likley decline anyway due to lack of funds.
OP, I think this is very much the case at many of the less-competitive colleges and private universities. Emphasis on “less competitive.”
It is very true for schools whose admissions are not need-blind.
It is not necessarily true at the not need-blind schools. They don’t just take the next full pay name on the list, but being full pay may break the tie between you and the equally qualified student who needs aid.
A college, unlike a high school, is pulling applicants from a wider area so can find full pays who are also qualified. Even at a high school they are going to take the more qualified full-pays over those will lower stats.
A certain set of stats may get a high need applicant waitlisted but a full pay applicant accepted at unselective colleges.
Any ideas where the line may begin for non-selective or less competitive colleges? Outside top 50 LACs? Top 100? Top 150? Not really a ‘line’ but a gray area? And I figure these would be just guesses.
A rule of thumb may be a acceptance rate > 50%?
Avoid need-blind schools.
Most schools are need-blind. I think you mean avoid need-aware schools.
I don’t think you need to avoid them, but just know where you stand, academically and financially, when applying.
We were full-pay parents, for both of our children who attended private colleges. The one regret that I have is that for my older child I checked the box for “requesting financial aid” at the single most competitive school that he applied to – the only one he did not get admitted to. I wasn’t being strategic enough. it probably made no difference, but maybe it did.
Wouldn’t the effects of being need aware be better measured by size of endowment than by acceptance rate?
Wouldn’t it be a reasonable assumption that the lower the endowment per student, the less flexibility admissions would have in taking low-pay students?
@mackinaw We are in the same dilemma with D17 and her ED1 application. Due to inherited assets I believe we will be full-pay, but it will difficult not checking that fin aid box, just in case. We likely will check it for low match and safeties.
Only if it is a need aware/meets full need school.
If a student applies to a need blind school that doesn’t meet need (there are thousands) the school is going to accept or reject the student without ever looking at the financial aid application. Many students will be accepted who can’t attend that school without financial aid, but they will still be accepted. Almost all the public schools are need blind and do not promise to meet need. Many of the private schools do not meet need - NYU, UMiami, Hopkins, Stevens.
we know a kid who was accepted into an elite school with family wealth as a hook; a relative’s donation in the 9 figures. My kid had 13 years of school with this kid; no advance or gifted classes but a hard worker. This is an extreme example, but, YUP.
^ Well, that’s more than full-pay. That’s a massive donation.
Slight difference (of a few zeros).
How do you determine if it is a needs blind or need aware school then?
I think most adcoms know whether an applicant would need FA just by looking at the zip code and parents’ professions. Looking at my kids’ school, they have consistently admitted around 55% full pay students every year. I think there are only a handful of schools that have unlimited FA budget.