<p>A major light bulb just went off in my brain and I want to pass this theory by the Wash U community.</p>
<p>FACT - Wash U is need aware.</p>
<p>FACT - Wash U. waitlists an unusually high number of applicants.</p>
<p>THEORY - Wash U. accepts a significant number of ED applicants who are paying full freight even at expense of SAT stats. They waitlist high SAT scorers who need financial aid. Once decisions are out in early to mid April, they contact waitlisted students and attempt to match/exceed financial aid offers from accepted institutions.</p>
<p>Does this make any sense?</p>
<p>I have talked to several admissions officers during my college application process and brought up this issue...and there isn't really a mold for accepted/denied students on financial need. The general impression i got from them on the issue was that financial aid needs aren't in the forefront of the admissions officers' minds. My uncle said at Vanderbilt it somewhat was a factor when they had two very similar students and were only accepting one, but it was way down there on the list of priorities. I personally didn't apply for financial aid and was accepted, and my friend who got a significantly lower SAT scores than I did was also accepted and recieved a 26,000/yr package, while a girl I know was rejected without needing financial aid and had similar or better credentials than I did, so go figure. There are too many factors in a decision to put it in black and white.</p>