<p>So I applied to WashU RD and it's definitely a high reach. My stats are good, but I'm under-qualified for WashU. Also, I know WashU is need aware. I applied for Financial Aid, but there's a good chance we won't qualify. Does just applying for aid hurt my chances or do they actually look at how much need you have?</p>
<p>I believe that applying for aid doesn’t hurt your chances of getting into WashU. WashU will determine how much financial aid you need based on your CSS profile (collegeboard) or the FFP. There are many hundreds of people who don’t apply for aid and don’t get in. I got into WashU needing a lot of financial aid and I got a lot of financial aid. To conclude, if you are a great fit for WashU, you will get in.</p>
<p>^^ Do WUSTL go above the need like give you xtra to cover some of the EFC from FAFSA/CSS… and if they do then normally how much in % they can go to help a student to cover COA…</p>
<p>Well, if you apply for aid but don’t qualify for any, then it shouldn’t hurt your chances. Might even help if WUSTL sees you are a full pay candidate. But WUSTL makes no bones about it, they definitely look at who can pay, especially when they are looking at those last few (relatively speaking) acceptances that are borderline. For example, given 500 similarly qualified, borderline candidates where they can only take 250, they will absolutely look at which ones can pay the whole nut.</p>
<p>The general %age thrown around is that WashU is need blind for 99% of applicants. As fallenchemist said, need only factors in for the very last “accepted” candidates, once the FA pool of money starts getting small.</p>
<p>(I feel like Wrighton himself has said the 99 number, but I’m too lazy to dig through old studlife articles to find it).</p>