<p>I have had a few colleges (Dartmouth, UPenn, Carnegie Mellon, UChicago) request financial aid information from my family (i.e., tax forms, special worksheets, etc.) My school’s college admissions counselor told me a while back that the admissions process works something like this:</p>
<li>The panel reviews your application, essays, test scores, interview, etc.</li>
<li>If your profile is impressive enough to pass through the first round (and not get thrown out at first glance) it is gone over again by different people.</li>
<li>If you are accepted, your profile is passed on to the financial aid officers.</li>
</ol>
<p>I don’t know if every school is like this, but if the schools (IVY LEAGUE schools) are requesting financial aid info, does that mean I can count on an acceptance letter in a few days?</p>
<p>I am also curious about this. DD was deferred by a school in Jan; in early March, the school asked us to send the Business Supplement for the CSS PROFILE (which I don't think is required unless they specifically ask for it).</p>
<p>I don't know if asking about fin aid --> acceptance, but in terms of Dartmouth, the finaid office asked me for more forms, and I got a likely letter a few days later.</p>
<p>Depends on the school. MIT asked me for a business supplement, and I was rejected a week later. You probably can't infer anything, but it might be safe to hope.</p>
<p>Yeah, I got a letter requesting some stuff postmarked March 21. I know that it's supposed to separate, but why waste paper, time and effort, on sending a letter to a denied applicant so late in the game? It's probably really easy to just get a list of accepted students and make sure their aid paperwork is all in.</p>
<p>That's just me being hopeful though. Who knows.</p>
<p>You should check this forum I made earlier out.</p>
<p>This comes up annually. In the past, others have gotten those FA requests and then some were admitted and some rejected. FA usually operates independent of the admission decisions and has to assure all needed info is in so the FA decision can be completed promptly if the student is admitted. Perhaps there is something to the notion that the student got past the first look stage where easy rejects have already been eliminated, but even that would only mean you are still in the mix along with many others and it may go either way on admission.</p>
<p>UGGHHHHHHH..... this is all driving me crazy!!! I will be so glad when all the waiting is over!! We are all going nuts trying to figure out the "meaning" behind every move the colleges make.</p>
<p>can any of you post your request? like the exact wordings? </p>
<p>i just got one with:
"We are reviewing applications for financial assistance for the 2007-2008 academic year that have been submitted to this office. In order to complete our analysis of the application that you submitted, we must have additional information and clarification as requested below"</p>
<p>here is another one that I got in mid-feb from MIT, which should have no correlation to acceptance:</p>
<p>"Thank you for your interest in MIT. Your application for admission is currently under consideration by the Admissions Committee. We encourage you to submit all of your financial aid materials in a timely manner, in order to expedite the financial aid packaging process should you be offered admission to MIT."</p>
<p>Do you guys think the first one suggests anything?</p>
<p>Come friday, you will know soon enough what it pans out to. I agree with Drubsa, that the decision can go either way. </p>
<p>Also keep in mind that most of the schools mentioned are not need blind to international students. So the student is not a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, the financial information will definitely be needed in order for the college to make an admissions decision.</p>
<p>First i think, for international students, they want to access you ability to pay their fees, for those that are non need-blind. </p>
<p>Or they could be just trying to give equal chances to all for those schools which are need blind. For example, if there were two students with about the same grades and ecs but one is a poor student, who basically needs full ride, whereas the other dude is better off and can easily spend 30k a year on another college, they will surely pick the former. Because of his situation, his chances of attending another college is slim ( 'cause he just can't afford it ). The other will likely gain rejection because he will have chances elsewhere.</p>