<p>It will be a real stretch for us to pay for 4 years for our son but we will figure someway of doing it. Friends/acquaintances who have been thru this admission process before have said that for the colleges below the top 25 - BU/GW/Lehigh level - there is a boost for not asking for aid. At some of these colleges (I don't think BU or GW would qualify - but I am using them for level of college) schools ask right up front in their suplemental application if you are applying for aid and have stated in their website/mailings that they are not need blind. So if this is true and you do get a bit of a boost, would a school that ordinarily would be a reach now be moved into "match" territory if going full freight and ED? Or is my methodology wrong?</p>
<p>It only makes a difference for borderline candidates.</p>
<p>Also, many schools that do not guarantee to meet full need will simply admit financially needy students but give them less generous aid packages. If the school doesn't feel obligated to meet 100% of need, there's no particular reason to deny admission to an otherwise worthy applicant. </p>
<p>It's not enough to move a reach into match category - where it probably makes the difference is that a few candidates who would ordinarily be waitlisted are admitted. This often happens toward the end of the admissions season when financial aid coffers are running low and the ad com has a better sense of how badly they need extra tuition dollars. It also can be a very big factor in determining who comes off a waitlist. I doubt that it would make any difference whatsoever with an ED app.</p>
<p>When Brown was not fully need-blind, it selected its top candidates without reference to financial need. For the bottom 25% of admits, however, it did take into account the ability to pay. I presume this applies to many other schools as well. A stellar candidate need not worry; but a somewhat less strong candidate probably gets a boost from not applying for finaid.</p>
<p>Johns Hopkins uses a similar approach to Brown. Below the top 30 schools, it very much depends on the school. But, in general, it seems that ability to pay is a tipping factor, not a determining factor, and should not be counted on to make up for significant weaknesses in the applicant's overall package. Thus, as Marite and Calmom have already indicated, I doubt it would turn a reach into a match or a match into a safety. More likely it would only make a match or safety a more solid match or safety.</p>
<p>paying full price and applying ed, at the schools you suggested add a 100 points to your sats and see if you in the right range.</p>