<p>If your asking for financial aid does it hurt your chances to get into a college?</p>
<p>There are 2 types of admissions policies, need-aware and need-blind. If a school is need-aware, then yes, the fact that you need FA may affect your chances for admission; at need-blind schools it will not.</p>
<p>If you are low income, you may qualify for a Pell Grant or other support. In that case, the college may be delighted to see your application. They know the money is coming in the door with you. </p>
<p>Read the website on financial aid for each college you are considering. Every college is its own world. It’s a lot like clothing stores – there is everything from the Bargain Barn to Rodeo Road/Madison Avenue. You can pay $ or $$, $$$. Not only do you have to figure out “who” the college is, you have to assess “who” you are to find the right fit. </p>
<p>There are many special avenues available. For instance, any student who is low income or first in their family to go to college should look into the Questbridge scholarships. Athletes have some special paths open. So do some minorities. </p>
<p>Financing a college education is complex and confusing. It is normal to feel overwhelmed. Please read as much as you can and talk to your high school staff because they may know what last year’s students did that was successful. Good luck!</p>
<p>Yes, it can. There are colleges that are need aware. You may want to check on the schools on your list and see if any of them are in that category. Most colleges in this country are need blind in admissions. They simply do not meet 100% of need most of the time. It’s when you start looking at the most selective schools that do meet all or most all of their students’ financial need that you get schools that do not want to accept those kids that need aid, after the pool of funds have been depleted. That does not mean that no one who need financial aid is considered. In fact, these school are often the most generous in financial aid. It’s just that rather than accept and gap the student, they deny them. It’s usually the last batch of students that are not accepted on a need blind basis, the ones who are more border line on the acceptance hierarchy.</p>