<p>From Northwestern's website.
"In addition, and unlike the process for U.S. citizens and permanent residents, the amount of financial aid needed by an applicant may also be a factor in a final admission decision. As a result of this need-aware approach and the limited funds available to students, Northwestern's acceptance rate for international applicants requesting aid is less favorable than the rate of acceptance for those students not requesting aid. "
Inference:
---> Need-aware (not need blind) for intl' students. </p>
<p>I got a letter and Northwestern's prospectus by post to my house, from the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. This is what the letter says,
"Northwestern is fortunate to make our admission decisions without regard to how much financial aid a student might need, and we meet the full demonstrated need for every admitted student."
Inference:
----> Need blind for everyone. </p>
<p>PS: My friend tells me that getting a prospectus/letter by post, means you have better chances at the univ. But I know that this is completely apocryphal. Right?</p>
<p>So is it need-blind for intl’ students?</p>
<p>No. It is not need blind for Internationals.</p>
<p>So then how do you explain the letter?</p>
<p>I think it’s a generic letter sent to prospective applicants and they probably figured the internationals will realize that part of the statement doesn’t apply to them.</p>
<p>brebeuff is correct in that Northwestern’s admission is not need-blind for international students. And no, your friend is wrong, the prospectus means nothing more than an attempt to entice you to apply.</p>
<p>I don’t mean to sound like an admissions officer, but why not apply? There’s a chance you could get financial aid based on merit (they care a lot about the whole picture so your life story and extracurriculars count along with academics). Sure, it’s more competitive but you’ll never know until you try.</p>
<p>Except NU doesn’t offer merit aid (for the most part).</p>
<p>Wait, but doesn’t NU take merit into account when deciding which internationals to admit and give aid to (the idea is they won’t take somebody they can’t afford)? It’s not explicitly “merit aid” but I think that’s what it comes down to being.</p>
<p>Why would NU’s dean send out a letter to thousands of International applicants without changing the content, if it needed to be changed?</p>
<p>I am sure NU is not this stupid. This letter was sent from their intl’ office in Belgium and is signed by the dean of admissions. I am confident that Northwestern wouldn’t be so reckless/impetuous in sending out a generic letter to everyone regardless of his or her nationality.</p>
<p>I think it’s best that I call up the admissions office and get this cleared up. College policies change all the time.</p>