Most Admissions officers I have met at selective schools truly want to get the top candidates regardless of ability to pay, and also make an impact on the demographics of their campuses with diversity and give those socially and economically disadvantaged an opportunity to move out of that position.
The problem with these sentiments is that they are at odds with keeping a college solvent and thriving. Colleges need a certain number of full pay students. Without getting a certain dollar amount from tuition and other costs , many colleges are in danger of going into a downward spiral. They also need to get students with high test scores, certain levels in test scores in order to remain competitive for the students the most want.
That grades are a better indicator of success than test scores does not address the fact that there are too many students with great grades and that without a certain distribution of test scores, a college is likely to flounder. Not only would lower test scores hurt the all important rankings, students and parents do look at those ranges, and many want to be with students with the high scores. Independent of rankings, those numbers are researched and they make a difference in whether a student even applies to certain schools. That student likely is highly desirable to these colleges too.
Because economics do play such an important role in keeping a college going as well in attracting students, it has to play a role at private colleges that do not get subsidies from the states. Of course Development, legacy, athletics, are important. They bring in much needed funding so that schools can pay for students who cannot afford the college.
I’d like to see some viable suggestions for schools like Trinity that are teetering between making necessary financial goals and also getting students who cannot afford the cost without aid.