@lz57c4 ahhh yes, you’re right… :’(
Re: #17
Remember, however, that all of the listed schools’ students skew heavily toward those from wealthier families. The 38-64% not receiving financial aid are probably from families with $200,000+ incomes (probably top 3% of the income distribution), while the bottom half of the income distribution (the ones receiving Pell grants) make up only 10-24% of the students.
However, need-awareness is probably the least of the reasons why the students skew heavily toward those from wealthier families. Students from wealthier families likely have parents and schools that provide them opportunities to excel, rather than roadblocks to achievement that are more commonly encountered as one goes lower in the income scale. So a talented student from a wealthier family is more likely to be in a position to apply to super-selective colleges and be a realistic candidate for admission than one from a less wealthy family.
I don’t think all schools would say this is the case. Carleton, for example, says they are need aware for only a small percentage of their class, about 5%. I think they mean that if you are on the cusp for admission, you are less likely to get in if you have high need. And most “meets need” schools are not rolling admissions, so my guess is that most of them that meet need but are not need blind are similar.
If the cusp is near the end of the cycle, it’s the same thing, affecting few. If the FA budget is relatively small, it indeed affects more. But it’s still irrelevant (or should be) to applicants, affecting only the chance of admission, not the school’s attractiveness.
I agree, and add that a low income student who has achieved at those high levels has a bit of an advantage at some schools. Perhaps just the one I know of that calls itself “need-affirmative”, but many SAY they do actively seek out low income students who excel.