<p>Hello everyone :)
I'm an international sophomore and I'm planning to apply to stanford when i will finish my IB diploma. However, my family only earns ~30K € per year. Stanford, unlike Ivy League schools, MIT, Duke, etc..., has need-aware admissions. If I were a fully qualified applicant, would my parents income be a big drawback for my chances of getting in?</p>
<p>unfortunately yes.</p>
<p>samMIT, it’s not that simple, and if you’re highly qualified you should definitely apply. If you’re among the most qualified international applicants, you’ll still be admitted and have your full need met, like all students admitted to Stanford. I know international students from all kinds of socioeconomic backgrounds here, though no doubt there are lots of internationals from wealthy families (just as there are in the domestic student population, even though domestic admissions are need-blind).</p>
<p>That said, I think Stanford should be need-blind for international students as well. They absolutely can afford it with a $17+ billion endowment, and I have heard they are considering changing their policy since many people have expressed this point of view to the administration. Stanford gets huge numbers of international applicants even with the current policy, but they should still change it IMO.</p>
<p>Dont worry! I know a few intl students who were admitted and required 100% aid. And while they were no doubt great students, they werent say top-of-the-world geniuses.</p>
<p>Where were they from?</p>
<p>Southeast Asia. Not specifying where exactly haha!</p>
<p>If you’re qualified enough, Stanford won’t bulk at giving you financial aid believe me.</p>
<p>^^agree. Apply.</p>
<p>Not true. 2 bright kids I know learned it the hard way. Last year, they applied to colleges asking for financial aid, which they definitely needed. They were both rejected by ALL of them (not the same set of colleges). </p>
<p>They both took a gap year, their families went out of their way securing loans (bank, family) and the kids reapplied without asking for financial aid this time. They got into 7 and 8 colleges respectively (out of 10). </p>
<p>And they did aim for the best in both rounds. Ivy League included. </p>
<p>If there is any way you can find outside funding, even partial, go for it. You will increase your chances. </p>
<p>It also depends where you are from. These 2 I know are from a developed country, so maybe colleges figured they would get a decent education anyway if they stayed in their own country, which is true. </p>
<p>With limited budgets, admissions may have opted for an equally qualified candidate from a developing country where educational opportunities are not as readily available. And it makes sense. Colleges don’t have unlimited resources. Otherwise they would accept first, then ask if the student needs financial aid, wouldn’t they?</p>
<p>“Otherwise they would accept first, then ask if the student needs financial aid, wouldn’t they?”</p>
<p>This is precisely what happens in the admission/financial aid offices of HYPS, all of which have extremely large endowments and (with the exception of international applicants to Stanford) do not consider an applicant’s need when evaluating him/her. The committee admits whomever it wants and sends the names of the admits to the financial aid office, which then computes financial aid packages for them. </p>
<p>@samMIT: If Stanford wants you badly enough, then they’ll take you regardless of your need. You should definitely apply.</p>