How blind is needs-blind?

<p>So in this difficult economic/falling endowment times, do you all think that schools that purport to be needs-blind for admission really truly are blind?</p>

<p>We have some deferred income that we could claim this year or next. If we claim it this year, DS would not apply for/receive FA for his freshman year. If we wait, which I would prefer to do in the uncertain economic times, then we would apply for FA for his freshman year and not for his sophomore year. Wondering whether it would make any difference in his application if we went 'cash only.' We're looking at top private schools.</p>

<p>Bear in mind that if your son doesn’t apply for aid for his freshman year, he may not be able to apply for aid for his sophomore year. College policies vary.</p>

<p>If the app is to the very top colleges H, Y, P, Swat, Amherst and about a half dozen
others, it will make little difference whether you declare the income this year or
next. Outside of that, it’s a crapshoot. High need is an admission deterrent at
many colleges and if you show the income this year and have a much lower
need for the soph year, you have no way of knowing what kind of package you
may receive. Shame it can’t be spread out over the 4 years.</p>

<p>Concur with speedo. Those colleges listed have very deep pockets and are immensely proud of their need-blind admissions policies – many of which have been extant for 30+ years. Their alumni and directors defend (and fund) them nicely in order for them to maintain need-blind status. Even w/the downturn in endowments, these colleges have been quick to state their fin aid commitment.</p>

<p>I’m in the camp that believes you almost always have an advantage checking the ‘no aid’ box. Some colleges that have been need blind for years stopped that policy recently.</p>

<p>It has just always struck me as odd that all of the need blind schools have had nearly the same percent on aid year over year. If that goes way up these next few years I’ll have more faith.</p>

<p>Do check that you will qualify in the future if you don’t apply as a freshman. At most great aid schools you will but at many colleges you may not or may be a low priority.</p>

<p>Thanks all. I hadn’t realized that you might not qualify in the future. What happens if you lose your job or something? I will check with the programs he is interested in. Even if we do get aid, it’s likely to not be much as we are in the borderline high income category at baseline, but you know, even a couple thousand is nothing to sneeze at.</p>

<p>The question is if a couple thousand worth less chance of admittance? For that kind of money would it be better for your kid to try to get the scholarship from another source.</p>

<p>if you’re only looking at minimum aid, roll it over to the soph year
and make sure to check the 'no aid" box when you apply. For a
couple of grand difference why not give the app the maximum
admissions advantage.</p>

<p>I have always wondered how the admissions could really be need blind when there is a box to check off that says applying for aid on the application. I have never heard a truly satisfactory explanation for this. If it were truly “blind” why not just send the FA application to an office of FA that is separated by a “chinese Wall” (forgive me but my legal background is showing)? Then admissions could send over the list of admits, and FA could figure out who gets what. While the admissions committee might pledge not to let FA needs or requests cloud their decisions, isn’t even seeing the box checked in some way going to have even a subliminal effect?</p>

<p>anothermom2, I think you’ve hit on why the issue has been bothering me. It has always also puzzled me why they ask that question right up front. And as hmom5 noted, it does seem odd that year to year FA has so very little variability.</p>

<p>Speedo: you say “For a couple of grand difference why not give the app the maximum
admissions advantage” Does that mean you think there is an advantage to not applying for FA, even at need-blind schools?</p>

<p>I also have a similar nagging feeling about reporting lousy SAT scores despite their assurances that they only look at the highest one. If so, then why do some schools object to score choice? Why do they insist on seeing ‘all’ your scores? </p>

<p>Ah, the mysteries of the college app process…</p>

<p>Actually not so mysterious. As you point out, why put the aid check box on the front page when it doesn’t matter and why object to score choice if you’re not looking? Adcom spout a lot of PC messages so reading between the lines is key.</p>

<p>I’ve heard conficting opinions about this issue.</p>

<p>One of my friends said that professional admissions advisors tell you not to check the financial aid box. They say don’t apply for financial aid in the freshman year at least. I hadn’t before heard that at some colleges this might make you ineligible in later years.</p>

<p>But is ability to pay taken into account at Yale, Princeton, Harvard or Stanford? It’s hard for me to believe it is, but it’s possible. But if they are no longer need-blind why not just say so, why not just admit that they are need aware?</p>

<p>I’ve also heard that the amount of aid you are applying for is taken into consideration. If you don’t need much aid you are treated as a full pay. But if the admissions committee just sees the box, how would they know? But if they are taking financial need into consideration wouldn’t they want this more detailed information?</p>

<p>All I can really offer you is what I learned going through the application process with my daughter this year. At the elite schools the application process is not transparent. There was a level of maneuvering and gamesmanship I wasn’t expecting and didn’t have any patience with. Make no mistake about it, this is a business for them. For the applicants, it is an emotional reaction, my daughter fell in love with one school. The elite colleges seemed very detached to me. If they perceive a decision is in their self-interest they will make it and it felt to me like they forgot there were kids on the receiving end. The process left a bad taste in my mouth. In the end we selected a school close to home that treated my daughter like a person from the start.</p>

<p>So are some of the schools that claim to be need-blind really taking into account ability to pay? It wouldn’t surprise me.</p>

<p>There are also schools that are need blind and don’t promise to meet all of your need should you get in.</p>

<p>If the “are you applying financial aid question?” on p.1 of the application that everyone is talking about is referring to the Common Application… remember it’s called the <em>common</em> application for a reason. Lots of schools use it. Some are need blind, some are not. There is not a special Common Application for the need-blind schools, so why is it suspicious that the question is asked?</p>

<p>Anyway, the best explanation of “need blind” that I have heard from a college admissions head is, “We are not blind, we are just saying that having financial need will not disadvantage you in admissions decisions.” People can choose to believe that or not, but the fact that the Common Application asks the question isn’t evidence of anything except that some schools do consider need.</p>

<p>My very high-need son was accepted at a need-blind college. His stats put him in the middle of the pack of admitted students, and he’s not a URM. I know, at the very least, that his high financial need did not keep him from being accepted.</p>

<p>At our recent college night, college advisers told all upcoming senior parents to not apply FA unless absolutely necessary.</p>

<p>with the economy the way it is a school can be need blind in November
and need aware by March. Why take a chance for a small amount of
money</p>

<p>The school will evaluate your FA application pre-read, and if you have no/little calculated need, the admissions effect will be minimal even if the school goes need-aware mid-cycle.</p>

<p>My D indicated that financial aid was needed on every one of her 22 applications. She applied to HYPS and several other top universities. She had amazing universities to choose from with varying award amounts. Stanford admitted 2200 students after receiving about 30400 applications. Her financial aid package from Stanford is very generous, covering about 90% of total costs. The President of Stanford said that even though their endowment was down, their number one mission was educating students. If you need aid, indicate it on the application.</p>

<p>Certainly anyone needing lots of aid should check the ‘yes’ box. But if the question is whether you check the box if you might only get self help aid or a few thousand dollars, it’s a totally different question. </p>

<p>If a college is concerned about how much aid they are awarding, might they pass on some kids who will need major aid if a job is lost? Are they looking for those who will not only pay in full but contribute as well? We really don’t know, and every college is different in approach, but it’s not unreasonable to believe checking the no aid box will benefit many.</p>