<p>If it is really true that admission is need blind, why do they ask financial questions on the kid's application? Every single one has my daughter asking me "how much can we pay" or similar questions. Why do we have to divulge that until he is accepted?</p>
<p>Not all schools are need-blind. Is this on the FA application or the general admissions application? I’ve typically only seen financial questions on things like the CSS Profile, and FA questions are asked at time of application so that a package can be given upon acceptance.</p>
<p>These questions are on the application for admission. We as parents have always done the FAFSA and CSS ourselves. It seems to me that the kid shouldn’t have to worry about these things, that we as parents do the financial part. So it seems to me that if they ask about financial circumstances that they are taking that into account before they decide on acceptance. The schools she applied to claim to be need-blind.</p>
<p>Some schools award scholarships on the basis of merit and financial need.</p>
<p>Ar the questions on the common app?</p>
<p>Do you mind sharing what schools? I was never asked in the general admissions application. UT asked me about money on the scholarship application (a general range of household income), but none of the need-blind schools I applied to (I don’t remember) asked about income.</p>
<p>Another voice in the choir. We never saw a specific question like this on any college admissions application. The only thing we saw was a yes/no…do you plan to apply for financial aid? But no question about an amount we intended to pay. That question was on the Profile. But the admissions offices do NOT see the Profile at need blind schools.</p>
<p>I saw that question on conservatory applications.</p>
<p>We were asked “how much can you contribute to your child’s education costs” on a preliminary financial disclosure from a top need-blind Ivy league school.</p>
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<p>This would be used for financial aid, not admissions</p>
<p>If you read what I said it was on a preliminary financial disclosure. I never said it was for admissions. It was requested at the time of the application so that admission would also include grant amount.</p>
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<p>The UC’s certainly ask for family income on the first page of the app. But that is to give bonus points to those applicants from low income families. Other states do the same.</p>
<p>In essence, they cannot be truly need-blind.</p>
<p>The OP asks why this question is asked on the kid’s APPLICATION. This implied application for admission.</p>
<p>I would like to know this too</p>
<p>Jichael…and again I ask…what do YOU want to know? Perhaps start your own thread.</p>
<p>I’m the OP, and now I ask this: Perhaps the information requested on the kid’s forms was not too specific, but we cannot deny at this point that the FAFSA WAS DUE before an admission decision was made. How can that possibly be need blind? I worry that our situation will make her acceptance less likely due to our ability to pay, and that is NOT need-blind.</p>
<p>Eenoll…the FAFSA is due so that th colleges can craft a financial aid award IF your kid gets accepted…in time for the May 1 matriculation decision date. </p>
<p>At the VAST MAJORITY of colleges, the admissions office has NO communication at all with financial aid…other than to inform financial aid when a student is accepted. The admissions office does NOT see your FAFSA and the admissions office does NOT know your financial need. At the vast majority of a schools, the financial aid office and the admissions office are NOT in the same place. </p>
<p>Your ability to pay is NOT considered at all at need blind schools. Simply put…do you really think these adcoms are seeking your financial info when it is NOT used as an admission criteria?</p>
<p>Now…if the school is need aware, your ability to pay is considered. But that is not what you are asking.</p>
<p>First of all, paying for college is not only a “parent issue.” Your child will be an adult in college, and often part/all of paying is the student’s responsibility. </p>
<p>“I worry that our situation will make her acceptance less likely due to our ability to pay, and that is NOT need-blind.”</p>
<p>Are you saying that your child has a lot of “need.” Will there be student loans in your child’s FA pkgs?</p>
<p>I have never seen a question about how much a family could afford on ANY college applicaton. Zero… Not denying that there are NOT any such schools, but have yet to see them. The only question on the app regarding financial aid was whether student was applying and that is on the Common app. </p>
<p>Yes, the FAFSA or PROFILE is often due before the decisions are sent out and possibly made, so that they can be checked for completion. The Fin aid people have to have all of their ducks in a row and truly MOVE fast when they get the admit lists. Doesn’t mean the school is not need blind.</p>
<p>Some schools are need aware. There are also some schools out there that say they are but are not. But I have no doubt that admissions for most schools, particularly the large ones are. Simply because trying to assess need and still going through all those apps would just be crazy, and most of them just do what’s called the old “admit-deny” by not giving kids enough aid rather than denying them entry. How can one say a school is need aware for admission and you see that they admitted so many kids and gapped them by amounts that are outlandish. Makes no sense,. Who the heck are they denying for need reasons if they aren’t denying them.?</p>
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<p>If the school is really need-blind, then the people making the admissions decisions will not see the FAFSA. Period.</p>