It’s been a while since I decided to apply EA to Princeton. My GPA, SAT scores and ECs should be competitive enough to have a chance. However, I’m applying as an international student from Georgia (the country; my school operates on an American system though) and will be submitting a financial aid form. My school’s college counsellor (who has a lot of experience, having overseen lots of successful applications to top universities like Columbia, Princeton, Cornell, among others) thinks that I would be at a disadvantage in the EA pool because of my financial aid requirement (because she believes that Princeton just wants to fill its classes with paying students first). So I’m just wondering if there’s any truth in that? Thanks in advance.
The financial aid office and admissions are separate offices. Princeton is “need blind” meaning they make no distinction between students based on financial viability. During my son’s (international student) freshman orientation, one speaker noted that the true cost of a Princeton education exceeds $100k per year, per student, so no one truly pays in full. And with an endowment fund that exceeds $22B, it would certainly be feasible to offer free tuition to everyone if they so chose.
Princeton’s goal is to construct a talented, diverse class of world changers and they have the resources to do it. If Princeton is your first choice then I’d say apply early and see what happens. Best of luck!
Your counselor is wrong and @Cantiger is right. You may be accepted, or you might be reflected or deferred, but your financial need won’t be a factor. Good luck!
If you can get the Princeton shields down you can avoid being reflected. You could try coming out of light speed inside the shields - I hear that might work.