<p>My D is waiting on one more acceptance from a highly competitve school who does not let regular apps know until April. Just this week we received an email from the FA office of this school wanting additional info such as tax forms, W-2, etc. It specifically stated in the email that this was NOT an indication of acceptance. </p>
<p>Our question is: why ask for all that paperwork when D hasn't been accepted yet? From a practical point of view, it doesn't make sense. Multiply D's paperwork by the number of applicants not accepted yet and it seems astronomical. They say that they are need-blind. This makes me a little suspicious. On the form that had to be filled out, they ask for a lot more financial info than the FAFSA does (they are supposed to be a FAFSA only public school).</p>
<p>Any thoughts on this? It just seems like a waste of my time and theirs if she's not accepted.</p>
<p>For the financial aid packages to be ready when acceptances are sent out, they cannot wait to request additional information. Most students will want to compare aid packages when making decisions about where to attend.</p>
<p>One of the schools we are waiting to hear from (a CSS profile school) said they send out FA with their acceptance letter. So I can understand why they would need all the info upfront.</p>
<p>All my D’s schools, most of whom are supposedly “need blind”, have financial aid deadlines prior to their decision date. I personally do NOT think they’re as “need blind” as they admit (in some instances), BUT…they include their aid along with their acceptance so how could they wait until then to ask for financial aid applications/paperwork? Another thread has a responder who was told that one school in particular does a preliminary sort/read of all financial aid applications, then only runs the full work up after they receive acceptances from admissions. Makes sense.</p>
<p>Many schools send the FA package with the acceptance, so they need the info.
I think the fact that they requested it is a very good sign for your D, even if it does not automatically mean acceptance.</p>
<p>Actually the schools that accepted my D last year offered a $$ package with the acceptance letter along with a note that asked for verfication of income/copies of tax return and W-2’s, etc. If I remember correctly two schools did this, but she did not attend either school so we never followed up.</p>
<p>I would be hesitant to do what they’re asking.</p>
<p>Interesting…everyone has valid points. Just curious about this since D hasn’t been accepted and the other schools where she HAS been accepted have not asked for this info, not yet anyway. I have two older childern and was never asked for this info until after they had been accepted.</p>