<p>When colleges say they are need-blind....is it true? I'm an international student applying for aid, and i'm thinking that it'll hurt my admission chances...comments please</p>
<p>Do a seatch for threads on this...there have been a zillion posts and discussions.</p>
<p>The short answer is "no." They know who needs aid and what percentage of kids they can admit without it. "Need blind" apparently is defined differently by parents and students than it is by adcoms.</p>
<p>when collleges say that they are need blind they are usually need blind to U.S. citizens and permanent residents. Some schools are also need blind to canadian and mexican citizens. </p>
<p>The overwhelming majority of colleges are not need blind to international students so the ability to pay will be a factor in the admissions process. Those that are need blind to international students are also amongst the most competitive to be admitted, harvard, yale, princeton, williams, etc.</p>
<p>Colleges that are need blind to internationals truly are. make sure that you carefully read the admissions and financial aid policies as they pertain to international students as some schools only offer verysmall amount of limited aid to international students.</p>
<p>are MIT, cornell, and columbia need-blind for int'l students?</p>
<p>MIT- need blind
Cornell does not offer aid to international students
Columbia -limited FA to international students, not need blind</p>
<p>I just wrote a series of posts on this subject on my new</a> blog. Hmm... In case you are interested, sybbie is correct. At MIT, we are need-blind for all populations (including international students).</p>
<p>thanks you</p>
<p>*thank you</p>
<p>A word about Need-Blind... I had called 5 small LACs to find out their policy on this and in every case, the people in admissions had no clue as to what I meant by need-blind! In 2 cases,the secretaries thought I meant something about my son being blind and needing some kind of assistance!!! Eventually, I was put in touch with either the director or an assistant director of admissions who knew what I was referring to. Obviously, it's not talked about much in admissions departments, as the general office help have never heard the term before!</p>
<p>All but one told me that they were need-blind. The one that told me they were not need-blind, on a follow up call, told me they were not need-blind ONLY on ED. </p>
<p>I don't really believe that when they say they are need-blind, they truly are - in all cases.. I think one must take the fact that they state they are - with a grain of salt! They are, for the most part, operating as successful businesses!</p>
<p>I would offer some clarification to lelaellen's post. It is my experience, working in the field, that the reason many admissions staff don't know or understand the word "need-blind" is because it is so ingrained in the job, they don't really know any differently. In speaking with colleges, what I would ask (if I were you) is whether they consider financial aid application status or financial need when deciding whether to make an offer of admission. This is a question anyone can understand and answer.</p>
<p>I also wouldn't, just as a matter of course, disbelieve the answer that colleges provide. Stanford, as an example, very specifically states on their web page that they are need-blind for all populations except for some international students. Boston College on their web page says that "Requests for financial aid do not affect decisions on admission."</p>
<p>In general the groups of students who are most vulnerable to having need considered in their admission are the following: International students, Wait-listed students, and marginal applicants (less desirable students). While some colleges may take need into account for these first two, very few look at need for the third category. [For the record, at MIT we are need-blind for ALL populations. Period. No exception. The end.]</p>
<p>BUT (and this is a big BUT) being need-blind does not mean that the college is need-based on their financial aid or that they will meet the full-need of each applicant with financial aid. So need may play a factor in your selection of which college to attend in a very real and meaningful way. (See my [url="<a href="http://daniel.mitblogs.com%22%5Dblog%5B/url">http://daniel.mitblogs.com"]blog[/url</a>] for some definitions here).</p>
<p>Just thought I would provide some clarification...</p>