Can anyone answer this question for me? It would seem to indicate that the answer would factor into their admissions decision if they are asking on the application. Thank you.
Need blind schools admissions still would have no idea what your financial need actually IS. So what if you are applying for aid? We did…for the Direct Loans.
How else do they know to look for your docs for aid? I just assume it is the main driver of all moving parts that have to be assembled to give you a package.
Also it doesn’t tell them how much you need. Even need aware colleges are happy to have people who can pay most of the cost and they only have to give them a little. But need blind and meets need colleges are happy to meet need for any admitted student. I don’t think second guessing all this is that productive.
However, holistic review of essays, extracurriculars, recommendations, etc. as well as noting the applicant’s address and high school will allow them to make a pretty good guess about the applicant’s SES level.
Schools with need-blind admissions can manage their financial aid budget in ways other than making admission decisions based on each individual applicant’s financial aid need. They can adjust their admission criteria to aim for a desired SES mix among the admission class. Things like use of ED; requiring recommendations, interviews, SAT subject tests, and CSS Profile; and the favoring of expensive ECs tend favor high SES applicants. To increase the number of lower SES admits, the school can reduce the number of ED admits; make recommendations, interviews, and SAT subject tests optional or not used; not use CSS Profile; and be more impressed by paid work as an EC and overcoming hardships and adversity.
They probably just want to make sure you get all the FA forms turned in on time. Because if you don’t receive the FA you need because you didn’t submit the requisite forms, then going to the trouble to admit you is futile
I would be less concerned that a school is need blind and more concern to the extent that that school meets your need. Virtually all colleges are need blind to students who are U.S. citizens/Permanent residents but very few meet 100% demonstrated need.
Even at schools that are need aware, the process usually kicks in at the end of the process, where schools are looking at the available resources remaining. When it comes down to similarly qualified applicants, the school may find it more feasible to fund 5 kids at 10k each, than to fund one kid for 50k.
At the more selective/deep pocket schools admissions and financial aid functions as 2 separate entities with virtually little if any contact between the 2 departments. Applying for aid as other stated simply flags the financial aid department, to make sure that you turn in all of the documents needed to get the most accurate financial aid package possible.
The vast, vast, vast majority of schools are need-blind… but most offer aid of some sort (if needed- not GOOD aid but often something).
How would you expect financial aid packages to get created if they waited until after admissions to get them together? Especially in enough time to give students a chance to compare their FA packages to others schools.
Well it’s not as if every school asks this question on the application - only some of them. So it begged the question…
Whether or not the application asks if you are applying for aid, make sure that you thoroughly understand the process for applying for and receiving aid if there is a remote chance that you/your child are going to need aid to make it work. In addition, run your numbers through the net price calculator so that you can have an idea as to what type of aid you/your child may be eligible to receive.
They need to know to go out looking for your FA documents. When my D applied for a student loan she had to notify the FA office because nothing was happening with her filed FAFSA.