I was reading some threads about need aware and need blind schools evaluating applicants. Is the amount of money needed considered in the acceptance decision? I read that if financial aid is requested, those applicants are placed into a more competitive applicant pool (unsure of the validly of that statement.) I don’t think I will qualify for financial aid, but I applied anyway.
If anyone has any insight, please help. Thanks.
At a need aware school, it might be. At a need blind school, no.
For need-aware schools, the last x% of the class may be filled with full-paying applicants (i.e. not asking for financial aid) once the financial aid budget has been spent, where x varies by school.
Need-blind schools do not consider financial need or whether you applied for financial aid during the admissions process.
Most colleges have need blind admissions, although characteristics favored in admission readings can favor high or low need applicants.
Most need blind admissions colleges do not have good need based financial aid.
My question is since I applied for financial aid, but won’t receieve any, am I hurting my chances?
What college did you apply to? We can’t answer YOUR question without knowing the school.
However, you should be able to check their website to see if they are “need aware for admissions”. If so, your ability to pay will be considered when you apply for admission. If not…it won’t be.
AND…if you applied for financial aid, but your need is $0…you would be considered a full pay student at need aware schools. So your need would be $0 and this likely would not impact admissions…because they know they won’t be offering you any aid.
@thumper1 I’m asking this question for multiple colleges. I understand the difference between need blind and need aware. However, there have been situations (GW) where colleges classify themselves as “need blind” but actually factor financial situation into the admissions decision.
I applied for financial aid because I cannot predict my family’s financial standing for the next six months; also, with a brother in college (he did not qualify for aid), I MAY have a chance of receiving money.
I was unsure if there is a difference between petitioning for financial aid and receiving none and not applying at all.
Thanks everyone.
What do you mean “petitioning” for financial aid?
Also, if you think you will need financial aid, apply for it. An acceptance without sufficient aid to attend is just like a rejection.
GWU was (hopefully) an anomaly with their deceipt. Unless you know differently, you just have to take a school at its word when they say they are need-blind for admissions.
@BelknapPoint the op mentioned GW…not GT.
Georgetown is most definitely need blind for admissions. George Washington (GW) is most definitely need aware for admissions.
This is on the GW website. Nothing ambiguous about it at all. The school clearly states it is need aware for admissions.
Yeah, I fixed that before you made your post.
Here is what OP and I are referring to:
That article is from 2013. The correct thing to do is read the current info in the college websites…not info from a two year old article.
You’re missing the point.
I don’t think OP has any question about what GWU’s currently articulated admissions policy is (need-aware or need-blind). I think his concern is that there may be other schools out there that are engaging in the same kind of shenanigans that GWU was found to be doing two years ago. OP hasn’t indicated (at least in this thread) that he is even interested in applying to GWU.
The OP simply needs to read the current website information.
Is he concerned that a need aware school might not admit him because he has significant need?
Really…it doesn’t matter…if he needs aid, he should apply for aid. I’m not sure worrying about whether a school is need aware, or need blind for admissions is a good use of time.
No, it sounds like he’s concerned that a school that says it’s need-blind might actually take need into consideration during the admissions process (like GWU was doing until two years ago), and if he indicates on his application that he is applying for financial aid that could hurt his chances.
That’s exactly what I meant…he is concerned his admissions chances will be affected at need aware schools.
I say…so,what? If he has need, he should apply for aid…and not worry about this.
The vast majority of schools are need blind…admissions never sees your financial need.
But some schools do practice enrollment management…and they are need aware.
If his application is otherwise strong…the affect won’t be huge.
Or that his admissions chances will be affected at need-aware schools that claim to be need-blind, and he would like to know that the admissions decision is based strictly on non-financial factors.
In a perfect world, at need-blind schools, you’re right. But I can see how what happened at GWU would give some people with financial need cause for concern about applying to schools that claim to be need-blind.
It doesn’t matter. What good is an admission if s/he doesn’t get the needed aid. If the school is need aware, it is what it is. All OP can do is apply, submit financial aid forms and let the process play itself out
Well, it does matter. If OP prefers to apply to need-blind schools because he has significant financial need and doesn’t want that to play a part in the admissions decision, he may have a valid concern regarding the authenticity of a school’s claim to be need-blind. Thus, the reference to GWU’s past practice. Yes, I understand that wherever he gets admitted, he will still have to put together a payment plan that is affordable. But the first step is getting admitted. Maybe he’s only considering 100% meets need schools. Those come in both flavors, you know (need-aware and need-blind).