MODERATOR’S NOTE:
Let’s assume the OP has his/her reasons for asking the question. Debating the OP’s reasons for asking the question throws us off on a tangent.
@STF4717, I can relate to what you are asking. Same observation here… I had friends who were going through the process last year and virtually every one that got NMSF and high SAT/subject test scores reported to have received fee waivers. No college has come forward to date and sent a letter stating they would waive the application fee. DD has 1560 super score (1550 single best sitting), 800 Math II, 790 Phys, 730 Chem/Bio and has already sent the scores to the schools she is planning to apply to. We did not use the “automatic 4 free schools” service but instead picked them individually after we knew the scores (not sure if that is a factor). Rice is one of the schools she is interested in but so far no sign of letter from them on waiving application fee. DD is also NMSF and has turned in her application to become a finalist. 4.0 GPA as well, but the colleges would not know that yet as her transcripts have not been turned in to the schools. DD goes to a private school - not sure if the colleges think that means she/we could afford the paltry application fee. It is more of a recognition than any monetary gain at this point for us… May be times are tough and colleges are not willing to offer as many carrots as in the past?
@intparent, How about this for a list - to find out if anyone has received fee waivers from?
Rice, SMU, UT Austin, UT Dallas, Purdue, Boston U, USC, U Mich, WashU, any school in UC system, Pick any IVY you can think of…
I’m with @intparent on this. I’d look upon a fee waiver the same as an unsolicited postcard from a college we had no interest in. You have 5 or 10 15 schools your kid in considering, and the other 2000 don’t matter. If you focus on showing interest (visiting, emailing regional reps) to those few under true consideration, maybe a fee waiver comes your way. I am happy that many of the LACs we are looking into have no application fee, but we’d consider them just the same if the fees were $50 or $60, a tiny amount of the entire college expenditure.
@TexanIndian UT Dallas will give fee waivers for National Merit kids