Which Selective/Highly Selective Colleges Are Likely "Need Aware" During Admissions?

College Search & Selection
1

We know some elite, well endowed colleges are need blind and can meet full demonstrated need, but which upper tier (highly selective) colleges/universities factor in the student’s (family’s) ability to pay upfront during the admissions process – and all things being relatively equal, favor the student’s family with the big wallet? Please share your thoughts and any evidence you can. Of course we do know some that have large percentages of foreign full pay students but here I am wondering more about US students. Thanks!

2

here is the list of colleges that are need blind, broken down by domestic/ vrs international applicants.
https://www.edvisors.com/plan-for-college/college-admissions/need-blind-admissions/

If a college is not on this list then you should assume it is need aware.
Be sure to check with the individual colleges admissions/ FA websites for verification.

Colleges that require the Profile application can be less accurate with their NPC’s if parents are self employed, or own a farm or business.

here is an additional list from USNWR

http://www.usnews.com/education/best-colleges/paying-for-college/articles/2015/09/14/colleges-that-report-meeting-full-financial-need

this was a well written, valuable article in the NYTimes a few years ago. It is still relevant:

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/13/education/edlife/what-you-dont-know-about-financial-aid-but-should.html

3

Thanks much @menloparkmom – appreciate this list. I do wonder what others have experienced that might shed light on need aware practices at specific colleges as well.

4

That list is mostly correct, but some of them (like Wesleyan and Tufts) may have at some point been need-blind, but they aren’t currently.

5

I was pretty much going to say the same thing as @menloparkmom. If a college is not explicitly need blind, you’d have to assume the inverse. According to Bloomberg, the trend towards filling classes with EA and ED admits favors the wealthy (http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-01-09/colleges-fill-more-seats-early-favoring-richer-u-s-students).

6

Yes, there are lots of ways for colleges to tilt the admissions playing field to favor applicants from wealthy families without being explicitly need-aware.

7

@ucbalumnus Like by looking at zip code or even SAT scores, right?

8

Mainly by choosing admission criteria and procedures:

  • Emphasis on SAT/ACT scores. (greater emphasis favors wealth more)
  • Requiring SAT subject tests. (may not be on the radar of first generation students in low performing high schools, so they are screen out before applying)
  • Requiring teacher and counselor recommendations. (those in low performing high schools may not have practice writing good recommendations, and counselors are probably busy with lots of non-college issues that their students have)
  • Requiring CSS Profile and non-custodial parent information. (screens out those with divorced parents, more common among the poor; also may not be on the radar of first generation students in low performing high schools)
  • Heavy use of early decision. (favors wealth more, since there is no comparing financial aid offers)
  • Use of interviews. (those from upper and upper middle class upbringing need not adjust their mannerisms as much in interviews with alumni who are usually upper or upper middle class)
  • Use of legacy preference. (legacies are already advantaged in coming from college educated parent families, usually with higher incomes)