<p>After having read recent articles on this board - "No better time to be a smart rich kid", I was wondering if you think this really has any merit with respect to admission to Georgetown. I know they say they are needs blind, but given where the endowments are today, I can't help but believe that those that can pay might have a better advantage than those needed full rides.</p>
<p>read the threads that say people got rejected and financial aid office contacted them for more info. Financial aid and admission don't know what the other is doing! Unless your essay is how you grew up in a ghetto, admission will never know.</p>
<p>I don't agree they don't know. I believe Georgetown's application, much like that of the common application, has a box to check if you are or are not applying for financial aid. Now, they certainly don't know how much aid you might require, but they most certainly know whether or not you need it. However, it is clearly stated they are a need-blind institution.</p>
<p>there was this article that recently came out saying that colleges are lowering standards for those who are NOT applying for financial aid. since a lot of colleges are losing money, they are taking things like how much financial aid they give out deeper into consideration</p>
<p>But don't you think that if a college made a practice of tha , that the college would be concerned that a smart "poor" kid would initiate an investigation into those practices? One major financial aid scandal could knock a college right off of many smart kids lists, because there are so many good schools to choose from these days.</p>
<p>simply put: I don't think that financial aid is gonna make or break your application. When they read your essays, they don't look at your financial aid request-honestly.</p>
<p>I truly don't think a scandal would come of a self described "needs blind" admitting more non "needs" students as a result of the economy. These schools are not bound by anything as private institutions. There is no requirement that they are "needs blind". It is a nice theory, but in times of rought economic situations, all things change.</p>
<p>if it helps cope with a rejection, keep telling yourself that. Otherwise, realize that even if they look at it, they won't reject a valedictorian with 2300+, lots of honors and national titles. If it's 10% 2100 community service and little else, it might might MIGHT make a difference</p>
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How much of a factor do you think Financial aid will be in admissions
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<p>None. zero. Zilch. I promise you, it's not a conspiracy theory. No one is lying to you, they'd be open to lawsuits if they were. It is entirely in gtown's interest to attract a diverse group of the brightest kids they can find. Gtown doesn't have an endowment so it can put it all in a bank and admire how shiny it is, they have so they can use it. I assure you, Georgetown wants a diverse, bright class of students. Not using need-blind admission only hurts that goal.</p>
<p>The financial aid box on the application is for informational purposes, e.g. to give a rough count of how many financial aid applications to expect, as well as for the purpose of sending out a reminder to everyone who checked "yes" about the deadline when it approaches. Plenty of people check the Y box and then don't apply to financial aid, while some others invariably selected no and then changed their mind. Going by who checked the Yes on the application would therefore be a very inaccurate way of discriminating based on financial status, especially since (as someone mentioned above) they would have no way of knowing who would qualify for how much.</p>
<p>In other words, what DCforMe said.</p>
<p>But don't you have to apply for financial aid prior to decisions coming out? Arent' FASFA forms and CSS profiles due by 3/1 and decisions out by 4/1? </p>
<p>By the way, there is no legal requirement that a school be needs blind. This is strictly there board's choice.</p>
<p>if they turn away discouraged geniuses in a financial strain, they lose in the long run with drops in image (stupid rich kids graduating).</p>
<p>Wow, I clearly wasn't indicating stupid rich kids, there are plenty of smart rich kids too. Thier pool of candidates is so strong, that I am sure they can pull a full class of rich kids that meet the "Avg Admit stats". Maybe just not full of 2400 SAT's, and perfect grades.</p>
<p>The thing georgetown explictly states that it is a need blind institution</p>
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<p>Oh, I know. I was pointing out more along the lines of false advertising. Being need aware isn't a problem. Saying you're need blind when you're actually not is.</p>