At a lot of state schools I will be applying to, UMich, UCB, UCLA, GaTech, I know that if you can pay full as an OOS student then you are often preferred. I do not really need any aid, so would not applying for aid and indicating I can pay full be beneficial in terms of getting an acceptance? And if I do this, could I apply for aid my sophomore or junior year of college?
Thanks
You need to carefully review the aid policies. Some places will never give you aid, even if your circumstances change, if you don’t apply as a freshman applicant.
Sit down with your parents and talk about how your family can cover all four years of your education. Then re-work your list based on that information.
For some schools, specifically Gatech and UCB, my parents are willing to pay the full cost because they feel there is great value (I am a prospective CS major). If my parents are willing to pay full, then would it be advantageous to not apply for aid? Would not applying for aid help my chances?
Thanks, @happymomof1
You need to look at the websites and find out if they even award need-based aid to OOS students. If they don’t, then need for aid doesn’t affect admissions at all.
If a school is need-aware then not applying for aid can help a bit (but still won’t get you into a school you are not otherwise qualified to attend). If a school is need-blind it won’t matter.
Kjake, since I have wondered the same, I’ll chime in as to my understanding and then maybe the many here more knowledgeable than I am can correct and amend.
I think the technical answer is that schools, at least for the most part I think, designate whether their admissions decisions are “need blind.” If so, then whether you check the aid box or not should be irrelevant. Others designate themselves as considering need, and then it may matter.
I think the common data sets may include this info, but not sure.
My understanding is those bets are generally off as to the wait-list, and that some schools consider need when deciding whom to pull off the waitlist even if they are need-blind in their regular admissions decisions.
Do “need blind” schools make some sort of soft consideration of ability to pay? Do the AOs at need-blind schools not even see if aid is requested so decision-making is literally need-blind? I wonder but don’t know.
If you have a need aware school and you are not likely to get aid anyway (but it is not impossible), I guess it is a judgment call.
Thanks for posting the question!
Posted without seeing Happy1’s more concise response. 
UCLA/UCB are need blind meaning that do not take your ability to pay or not pay into consideration for admission purposes. Since you are an OOS applicant, they already know that you will mostly likely be full pay anyways since they give little to no FA.
If a school is need blind they won’t know if you applied for aid or not. Some of the need blind schools that my D applied to specifically stated that the question regarding FA is blacked out on their side of the Commonapp. They don’t see it at all. I assume there s a way for the information to be submitted to the FA office.
All the UC’s have a common policy. No financial aid to OOS students at all, period.
so is preference given to high income families because they can pay full? and if so, how much can I count on this to help me at UCB, UCLA, Gatech etc @TomSrOfBoston @Gumbymom @twogirls
High income, low income, it makes no difference at the UC’s. OOS, no aid at all.
I understand I will not get aid. I was wondering if my chances of admission be increased because I am high income and I can pay full. @TomSrOfBoston
Sorry for the confusion. If I am missing a point or I am not making sense, let me know.
Thanks
No.
There may be some schools where your chances would be increased, but they would be at a much lower level than the colleges you are targeting.
@skieurope and @happy1 have got to the crux of the matter.
There are schools that are mostly need blind, where being full pay will help if you are on the border of acceptance and the college has used its budget for FA.
All of the schools you listed are need blind for admissions. You have little chance of need based FA at GaTech, and no chance at all at the California schools.
You can always apply for federal aid, before or after applying to the school.