<p>Hi,</p>
<p>we don't qualify for need-based aid, obviously a merit scholarship would be welcome. I'd think non-need blind schools would want proof we don't qualify for aid. Is there a common form we need to fill out? send copies of tax returns? different per school?</p>
<p>tia,</p>
<p>Right on the application, it will ask whether or not you are applying for need-based aid. If you say No, that is it. They won’t be asking for evidence that you do have the money.</p>
<p>However, do check the policies at each place on your list very carefully. Some will require that you file an aid application in order to be considered for merit-based aid (some merit scholarships have need factors as well), and some will not consider you for need-based aid in the future if your situation changes if you have failed to file with your initial application for admission.</p>
<p>"I’d think non-need blind schools would want proof we don’t qualify for aid. "</p>
<p>The key word is BLIND. If the school is truly need blind, then they do not want proof that you don’t qualify for aid. If all applicants who do not qualify for aid identify themselves as such, then that would identify those who do need aid. Need blind means the school does not count needing aid against you, and does not award you for not needing aid.</p>
<p>KKmama, I think the key phrase in “non-need blind” not “BLIND”.</p>
<p>guess I really do need that nap. But same thing applies. Acceptance and financial aid don’t usually go hand-in-hand.</p>
<p>If they arent need blind that means they wont issue the offer unless they can fund the student. Since you are skipping that process you take away that potential issue. </p>
<p>You dont have to prove anything, just dont request aid.</p>
<p>Quiet…</p>
<p>Which “non-need-blind” schools are you wondering about? </p>
<p>Most/nearly all schools are “need blind”.</p>
<p>Hmm, according to our dean of CC, Sally Rubenstone, most schools are NOT ‘need blind’. Most schools are ‘need aware’. The distinction is subtle and confusing but important in how they deal with the admission/financial aid decision. The need aware schools can/do consider both need as well as qualification.</p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/ask-dean-topics/1335944-we-dont-think-well-qualify-need-based-aid-do-we-apply-anyway.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/ask-dean-topics/1335944-we-dont-think-well-qualify-need-based-aid-do-we-apply-anyway.html</a></p>
<p>(by the way, I was not the one who asked the original question, just had follow-ups. Took some mulling over to finally get it.)</p>
<p>Nationwide, most are flat-out need blind because they don’t have a whole heck of a lot of money (other than federal money) to give away. If, however you pull all the public institutions off the list, and those private institutions that don’t have much money for aid (like just about any place focused on the arts, and all of those lower-tier LACs), then maybe of the remaining pool of CC favorites, it could be true that many are need-aware.</p>
<p>Sorry, I’m going to highly disagree with the dean here. It doesn’t even pass a common sense test. Most schools ARE need blind. Most schools don’t give a crap whether or not you can pay. Heck, MANY schools accept/deny before FAFSA papers are ever filed. Think about it- most public schools won’t give you much, if any, aid above federal and/or state aid. Except for schools that promise to meet need, why would any school care whether or not you can pay?</p>
<p>The number of “need aware” colleges is in the far, far, FAR minority. Heck, regulars on here could probably name 90% of them.</p>
<p>I think many need aware schools may practice need blind until they run out of money, then become need aware. But if a candidate is borderline as a candidate, not asking for aid can help with admission! </p>
<p>There are definitely more need aware than need blind schools (larger universities and state universities tend to be need blind, liberal arts collegees tend to be need aware as happymomof1 said). </p>
<p>And Romanigypsy, it is not on the FAFSA that the decision is made. It is also on the Common App that there is a check box that says whether or not you are applying for aid. That is submitted well before FAFSA, and that is something the need aware schools will look at. Why do they care if you can pay? If you can’t you might not want to go there and yield matters to them in rankings. They also might not want students to accumulate huge amounts of debt in order to attend, or, I suppose, to withdraw if it becomes too expensive. (Of course they care if you can pay! It is still a business even if it is a nonprofit.)</p>
<p>[Colleges</a> Where Need for Aid Can Hurt Admission Odds - US News and World Report](<a href=“http://www.usnews.com/education/articles/2010/03/23/colleges-where-need-for-aid-can-hurt-admission-odds]Colleges”>http://www.usnews.com/education/articles/2010/03/23/colleges-where-need-for-aid-can-hurt-admission-odds)</p>
<p>Really? Do you really think that out of the roughly 4500 colleges/universities in this country, that 2250+ of them care whether or not you need help? Especially when only about a dozen or so of them meet need? Really?</p>
<p>Your own link contradicts you.</p>
<p>LBowie, are you counting all of the community colleges, directional public universities, and known only-in-their-own state-tiny-privates in your total when determining that there are more need-aware than need-blind institutions in the country? Frankly I just don’t buy that analysis. Yes, it is possible that among the CC favorites there are could be more need-awares. Once you get out of the selectivity game played here, the institutions don’t care. Happykid even toured one place where the aid is so bad that the admissions counselor who led the orientation session flat out told the students to take all of their Gen Eds elsewhere to save money.</p>
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<p>That’s actually not what she said.</p>
<p>LBowie…</p>
<p>most, if not nearly all, schools are need-blind. Most admin offices have no idea of family finances when kids apply. Kids are applying NOW, many are getting acceptances NOW, they aren’t even submitting FA info til next year. </p>
<p>Admissions office and FA offices are two different depts at many schools.</p>
<p>OK, it’s fine if you don’t believe me. But here is the list of need-blind full-need schools.
[Need-blind</a> admission - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia](<a href=“http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Need-blind_admission]Need-blind”>Need-blind admission - Wikipedia)
There are many <em>not</em> on that list that are quite well-known, highly regarded schools. (E.g. Wesleyan went need aware this year – Google it.)</p>
<p>Here is an article from SmartMoney on when not asking for need may help with admission:
[Buying</a> Your Way Into College - SmartMoney.com](<a href=“Spending & Saving - MarketWatch”>Spending & Saving - MarketWatch)</p>
<p>Hopefully this will help someone who can pay full fare and maybe has a kid with very good but not 100% stellar stats get into a competitive school (or someone with stellar stats applying to a very competitive school that is a reach for most.)</p>
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<p>That is IMMENSELY different from simply need-blind schools.</p>
<p>Clearly, I hit a nerve with you, r-g-e.</p>
<p>No nerve hit. I just don’t like false information running around. Especially on a site where lost and confused students and parents go to look for help.</p>
<p>Yup. </p>
<p>Big difference between the full set of need-blind institutions (which includes the public community college down the street), and the tiny subset of need-blind-meets-full-need institutions such as Harvard, Stanford, etc.</p>