<p>So, a lot of really really smart kids in my school didn't get accepted into their first choice colleges (yale) possibly b/c they asked for financial aid in their apps. Due to the current economic situation, do you think that it is better to not ask for financial aid for the sake of purely getting into the school?
Basically, does your need for financial aid affect whether you will get into the school or not?</p>
<p>If you NEED financial aid to attend a school...it will do you NO GOOD to get accepted without financial aid.</p>
<p>It would not affect Yale's decision. Yale and most other top schools are need-blind, meaning that they make their decision on admission without considering your financial status. Other schools are need-aware and in those schools if you apply for Financial aid it may affect your admissions. But that shouldn't make a difference on whether or not if you apply for Financial Aid.</p>
<p>If you need aid, you won't be able to go to school without it ... so it makes no sense to NOT apply. </p>
<p>If you don't need aid, you won't get it, anyway (with the exception of an unsubsidized loan). So it would then be safe to forego applying if you can pay for college without financial aid.</p>
<p>They probably did not get accepted because less than 1 out of 10 applicants do get accepted to schools such as Yale. They are very competitive and every applicant is very smart and has stellar qualifications. They can't accept them all.</p>
<p>"So, a lot of really really smart kids in my school didn't get accepted into their first choice colleges (yale) possibly b/c they asked for financial aid in their apps."</p>
<p>They didn't get in because virtually all of the students who apply to Yale are very smart and have outstanding stats and ECs. Yale is need-blind for admission, so their applying for aid didn't affect their admission decision.</p>