<p>I had a question about Andover's need-blind policy. If Andover is need-blind, does that mean they treat you as if you don't need FA? Because, from what's on this board, if you're a FA applicant, it's harder to get in than full-pay applicants. So, with Andover need-blind, it doesn't matter if you're full-pay or need FA -- they treat your financial status the same?</p>
<p>Private institutions run on private money. Regardless of what they tell you, it will definitely lower your chances if you need FA unless you have serious hooks that the school wants like a cheerleader or a football player or you are from Wasilla, Alaska.</p>
<p>rizzledrizzle,</p>
<p>The authoritative answer you seek is contained on the Andover website, which states:</p>
<p>“With a ‘need blind’ admission program, Andover will extend its resources to offer admission to every qualified young person regardless of their families’ ability to pay the cost of an Andover education and we are proud to say that we meet 100 percent of each admitted student’s demonstrated financial need.”</p>
<p>As this quote indicates, financial aid applicants compete for admission on a level playing field with full pay applicants at Andover. Indeed, Andover states that, it “provide[s] a world-class education to the leaders of tomorrow regardless of their families’ economic circumstances.” </p>
<p>The fact that Andover supports “100% of a family’s demonstrated need” is also important. As the Andover website explains, this means that Andover does not engage in ‘gapping’ – a process by which “most schools … stretch their financial aid budgets by allocating smaller grants to more students.” This enables Andover to grant more financial aid to admitted students. It also frees Andover from the necessity of “consider[ing] those who can afford to pay more, over those who can pay less …”</p>
<p>Finally, it is critical to distinguish “need aware” schools from need blind institutions. Where financial aid applicants may face a lesser chance of admission than comparably qualified full pay students at many “need aware” prep schools, this is not the case at Andover for the reasons stated above. And while it is true that many “need aware” schools generously offer financial aid, only Andover and St. Andrews guaranty need blind admissions.</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>The practical answer is in post#2. Think of it this way. Why would Andover have to give you money? There is no free lunch. They need something in return which is a hook you have that they want.</p>
<p>With a 14% admission rate, Invent, all PA students have “hooks.” Not just FA students.</p>
<p>Not really. Several of my rich average friends go to Andover and I have no problem with that as they are the ones who support the people on FA. To prove all are stellar, Andover should post the qualifications of all admitted students, not the select few, not the few asians who scored 99% SSAT, a banker’s son from Geenwich who donated $20,000 to Africa etc. I’m sure you know the facts and don’t pretend just to prop up your school, i.e. get real.</p>
<p>The issue is not whether a financial aid applicant will be a better candidate to Andover if he or she has a “hook.” Instead, the question is whether that financial aid applicant will stand on an equal admission footing with a full pay candidate who has an equally attractive “hook.” As my prior post indicates, Andover unconditionally answers this question yes because it is a need blind institution that does not consider an applicant’s financial status when making admission decisions. </p>
<p>The self-contradictory notion that Andover is simultaneously a need blind school and a haven for “average” rich kids is silly. The truth, of course, is that Andover is an economically and racially diverse school where 45% of the students receive financial aid. And anyone interested in learning more about the outstanding qualifications of admitted students at Andover need only review the Andover “School Profile” at: <a href=“http://www.andover.edu/Academics/CollegeCounseling/Documents/PhillipsAcademySchoolProfile2010-2011.pdf[/url]”>http://www.andover.edu/Academics/CollegeCounseling/Documents/PhillipsAcademySchoolProfile2010-2011.pdf</a></p>
<p>Some of the full pay candidates are dropping out and coming home, lol. What’s written on a website and what happens in real life are two different things. Look at the list of colleges, why pay 200 grand to go to colleges like Stonehill College while you can go to Harvard from your local public school if you are good enough? With a name like blueisbest, are you going to admit to Andover not being the best? The best thing I read was the quote: “I don’t want my education to interfere with my learning.”</p>
<p>
Are you sure the kids who got into Stonehill College from Andover were “good enough” to get into Harvard from their public schools? </p>
<p>Regardless, the only way we can really know if Andover is need-blind is to know how many applicants applied for FA. We know how many receive FA (45%), but in order to really know how hard it is we need to know how many applied for aid. I think in 2008 something like 2/3 of the kids applied for aid (correct me if I’m wrong)?</p>
<p>I mean, if 2/3 of the kids applying apply for FA and only 45% receive it, then it’s effectively not need-blind.</p>
<p>If 2/3 of the applicants applied for FA and only 45% received it, it doesn’t necessarily mean the school is not need-blind. This could mean that Andover may have found that some of the people who applied for FA may not have needed it or that some of the wealthier students were better applicants than some of the FA students. </p>
<p>I’d trust that Andover is need-blind if they say that they are need-blind. But I don’t really see the point of trying to prove that the school isn’t need-blind. There’s nothing you can do to change your financial status so why worry if a school is harder on FA applicants versus non-FA applicants. I’d spend my time improving my application rather than figuring out how a school interprets one’s financial need. If you like Andover, then you should apply.</p>
<p>I always enjoy 2010’s arguments grounded in the theory of logic and magical realism. :)</p>
<p>Ifax108, </p>
<p>You indicated in a June 23 post how “you “remember reading in the Phillipian that 2/3 of their applicants applied for FA.” As it turns out, the Phillipian does not support that recollection. In an April 24, 2009 article it reports instead a lower percentage relating to a different metric when it explains, “This year, 61 percent of Andover applicants requested financial aid information” – a ten percent rise from the “55 percent” who requested that information the year before. (See, [Economy Strains Exeter Fin. Aid Budget | The Phillipian Online](<a href=“http://phillipian.net/node/106087”>A 25 Year Tradition: Mrs. Paulson Showcases Festive Outfits for the Holidays, Honors the “Hideous Whimsy” of Childhood Teachers’ Christmas Sweaters – The Phillipian)). </p>
<p>It is important to reiterate that the percentages this Phillian article reports do not relate to the number of applicants who submitted financial aid applications. Instead, they reflect what Andover, in 2009, indicated was the larger pool and thus the higher percentage of applicants who requested financial aid information but did not file or complete financial aid applications. See, The Dean’s Journal Need-Blind Admission – 12/2/09 [Phillips</a> Academy - The Dean’s Journal](<a href=“http://www.andover.edu/Admission/DeansJournal/Pages/default.aspx]Phillips”>http://www.andover.edu/Admission/DeansJournal/Pages/default.aspx) </p>
<p>If there is thus no basis to state that 2/3rd of the applicants for 2008 admission to Andover applied for financial aid, that statistic cannot, of course, premise your conclusion, on this thread, that Andover is “effectively not need blind.” Nor can the percentages reported in the Phillipian article provide a sufficient statistical sampling for such a factual premise because they only relate to students who applied for matriculation in 2007 and 2008. Even if they did, we would still be chasing moon beams for the reasons 2010 Hopeful describes as well as the fact that we don’t even know the actual percentage of financial aid applicants in 2008, let alone 2011.</p>
<p>Ifax108, please don’t construe any of this as a personal attack. I enjoyed reading your comments. And I have no doubt they were well intentioned because nobody’s memory – mine least of all – is correct. I have written this post because inadvertent mistakes sometimes become urban legends on CC, and I would hate to see that happen to Andover, which admits hundreds of financial aid applicants every year who are grateful beyond words for its need blind admission policy.</p>
<p>:D I buy this argument, seriously. You are a genius. :D</p>
<p>@blueisbest,
Thanks for correcting me. I haven’t looked through the Phillipian in a long time, so my memories of it are a little off. I really don’t want to start any urban legends on CC, so sorry if I already did…</p>
<p>By saying that a school wasn’t “effectiviely need-blind” I meant that their FA acceptance rate was signifigantly lower than their FP acceptance rate.</p>