<p>Hello everyone,
I'm an international student and I'd like to have a try and send my application to some colleges here in the USA (Ivy League, UChicago, Berkeley, Stanford, etc.)
Well, I read that many colleges have only very limited funds as to financial aid for internaitonal students but I also see that some of them are need-blind also for international student (like Dartmouth, Princeton, etc.). Now my question is: since I could be able to pay for this kind of college, is it better for me not to request financial aid?
Is it true that (frankly speaking) to request financial aid may affect my chances of getting admitted all in all?</p>
<p>If a college is need-blind, then your admissions decisions will not be affected whatsoever by saying that you will apply for financial aid.</p>
<p>Yes, it’ true. Being able to pay in full will greatly help at all but a very few colleges, and even those schools manage to favor full pays. If you can ‘afford’ them, good chance you won’t qualify for aid anyway.</p>
<p>Reversing your reasoning, if you “could be able to pay for this kind of college”, then applying to schools that are NOT need blind would improve your chances for admission, perhaps greatly so. i.e., your financial resources make your application stronger when considered by a need aware school.</p>
<p>@standrews: among the universities I mentioned (Ivy, UChicago, the “UC colleges” like Berkeley San Diego etc, and Stanford) where could my chances of getting in be most increased by not asking for financial aid? Is it a coherent question? 
I hope I made myself clear</p>
<p>Berkeley and San Diego (The UCs) are state schools, so they don’t give aid to int’l students, so if you can pay, you might have a better chance there.</p>
<p>Some privates are not need blind to int’ls, so find out which those ones are. I think Cornell is not need blind for int’l students.</p>
<p>Colleges may have different policies based on need for international applicants</p>
<p>Here is the Duke policy, clearly stating that your chances are better if you do not ask for aid</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>Stanford is a little more cagey, they say may
Financial aid at Stanford is based on demonstrated need, and we make every effort to meet the full computed need of all admitted students. However, because of the limited financial aid resources available to international students, Stanford can offer admission with financial aid to a small number of international applicants a year. Thus, a student’s request for financial aid may be a factor in the admission decision. We will not admit a student unless we are certain either that the student is self-funded or that we are able to provide financial aid. For more information about financial aid at Stanford, and to find the required application forms, you can visit the Financial Aid Web site.</p>
<p>Why would you apply for aid if you can afford the college? Need-based financial aid is for students with financial need.</p>
<p>As Redroses put it, if you can afford them you probably wouldn’t get aid anyway.</p>
<p>And applying without seeking aid would be a much wiser admissions choice.</p>
<p>^^^</p>
<p>Right…</p>
<p>Once the school looks at your family’s financial situation, you wouldn’t get aid anyway.</p>