^^^^Here’s one recent article in NYT (https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/09/10/magazine/college-admissions-paul-tough.html?mtrref=www.google.com&assetType=REGIWALL):
Also keep in mind that almost all need-award schools offer some form of “merit aid”. Their financial aid budget covers both need-based and merit-based aids. Any money used for merit-based aid necessitates a reduction in need-based aid, and vice versa.
^That’s not how NB works in admissions. And not how MFN works, in fin aid offices.
Trinity CT is not Need Blind.
^Yes, that’s meant to address how financial aid works at need-aware schools, responding to @vonlost’s question above.
How are admission officers rated/graded? Their job is to admit students who would be contributing members of the class and would have successful experience at the school. I think retention rate is one of those good indicators. There are many reasons why a student would withdraw/transfer from a school, but when a student’s family could barely afford (or could only pay for the first few years) the school then there is a higher probability a student would withdraw due to financial reason. I think it is why schools encourage families to file FSFA so they could figure out how affordable the school is to those families. I do not believe schools are need blind when it comes to admission. I guess I am just a bit more cynical and not as trusting.
These two sentences say the same thing, just in a different way.
Bryn Mawr does not claim to be need-blind in admissions.
*Is Bryn Mawr need-blind?
Bryn Mawr is need-sensitive with respect to admission. This means that the amount of aid a student requests of the College may affect the admissions decision. This is because Bryn Mawr has allocated a finite pool of resources, yet is also committed to meeting full demonstrated need for all admitted students.*
Sorry, missed that Brynn Mawr is not need blind in admissions. It’s policies for future financial aid when initial application for admissions was not accompanied with apps for fin aid makes sense. Leaves Barnard as a bit of a puzzle as they do say they are need blind in admissions AND meet full need
“There are a small group of schools that are not need blind in admissions and meet full need as they define it. There are also a small number of schools that are need aware but meet full need as they define it.”
Mistake in above statement of mine as I meant to start with
“There are a small group of schools that are need blind in admissions and meet full need”
There are few schools that meet full need even as they define that need. It’s in that grouping of schools where one finds the schools that are need aware in admissions. I’ve not looked for schools that are BOTH need aware in admissions AND gap. Not to say that category does not exist.
I think Barnard is need aware for their waitlist, so they probably use that process to hit their Financial Aid targets.
Our HS GC recommended not to apply for FA if you won’t qualify anyway because some NB schools for regular admission become NA for choosing who to take off the wait list. On the other hand, some colleges won’t allow you to apply for FA in a subsequent year if you didn’t apply in your initial application and that could be tough if finances change.
So I just ran the npc for my early action school, and it’s a total cost of 72,500, which is basically full pay. Should I apply for fafsa in this case?
Filling out FAFSA is not the issue. Many folks fill out FAFSA to gain access to federal/state loans and even some scholarships that require it. The issue is whether you want to apply for financial aid from that college.
I would do so. Being eligible for so little financial aid is not likely to have an impact on admissions to need aware schools. It is possible to signal Enrollment management to throw in a small merit award to add a bit of sugar to the acceptance.
I wouldn’t if you think you could afford full pay. All else being equal, they may give the spot to someone who could well afford it (less risk in case of sudden down turn of economy or other unforeseen events in life). Unless you are such a strong applicant that the school would really want you. Of course if 5k-10K is going to make a school affordable then you should apply for FA.
Is there a widely accepted income threshold, that CC regulars use to say there’s absolutely no point in applying for fin aid? $250k? $300k? $400k? etc
Thank you for spelling this out, I’ve been wondering the reasoning behind requiring FAFSA for merit based aid.
What about the CSS profile? Why do some schools require CSS for purely merit based aid?
The college may be need aware for its aggregate class, but not for individual be applicants.
In this case, it could adjust the valuation of admission criteria to get an expected FA level for the class, without looking at individual FA applications. Such criteria as legacy, first generation to college, types of ECs, etc. correlates to family income and wealth generally, even though there are some exceptions.
The threshold at the very most generous schools, like Harvard, is under 200k now. And that’s just, what, 2 schools? Someone else will know.
If you’re married, not self employed, etc., you run the net price calculators, on the colleges’ web sites.
CSS is more detailed and runs via a different policy.
Good question. Which schools require that Profile be submitted to receive strictly merit aid?
My spouse is self-employed, which I’ve read can throw off the NPC’s. That’s why I was asking if there’s a widely accepted income threshold where you will not receive need-aid at even the most generous institutions.
GA Tech for one, advised me to complete FAFSA, CSS profile, plus their institution’s FA form all to qualify for possible merit aid. I was quite clear that we do not qualify for need-aid. This was a phone call to Fin Aid dept.
You have to check the colleges’ websites.
BU recommends F and CSS for NMF and NHRP.
Any idea WHY they’d need CSS though, for NMF or NHRP, if not applying for need? Assuming FAFSA clears up the lack of government entitlement.
One important point to consider is that most schools are need aware. Even highly ranked/highly regarded schools. For them, not needing financial aid is a plus.