<p>Hi guys,
I know that a lot of colleges claim to be need-blind and all, but my family can only afford about $2400 per year. AND I'm an international student. Will this affect my chances, even if slightly? :O
My SAT-I score is 2170 (CR: 800, Math: 720), and Subject Tests are Math II - 780, Physics - 760, Chemistry - 720.</p>
<p>I'm applying to a few Ivies, UChicago, WUSTL and Duke, but also to the College of Wooster, Drexel University, CWRU and Skidmore College.</p>
<p>Thanks!!! :)</p>
<p>Most ivy and top colleges are need-blind for citizen and permanent residents. Only a few are need-blind for international students. You have to make sure that the colleges you are applying are need-blind for international student.</p>
<p>
Not for international students who want to study in U.S.
See [Top</a> 6 Need-blind Colleges in US for International Students - Desperate Guide: Undergraduate College Financial Aid, Scholarship](<a href=“http://www.desperateguide.com/us/top-6-need-blind-colleges-in-us-for-international-students]Top”>http://www.desperateguide.com/us/top-6-need-blind-colleges-in-us-for-international-students)</p>
<p>Thanks txhandan and 4kidsdad!</p>
<p>Ok…using Google…Name of University International Student Financial Aid…here is what I found. You need to verify this yourself and dig deeper into the websites for specifics.</p>
<p>University of Chicago-“the admissions office reviews all applications for international student financial aid.”. Sounds like ability to pay IS considered.</p>
<p>Duke University- “those not applying for financial aid are considered in the applicant pool with U.S. citizens. Those applying for aid are considered in a different app,I can’t pool”. Sounds like they also consider ability to pay for admissions.</p>
<p>Drexel- “international students are not eligible for federal, state, or need based grants.”. They don’t award grants to international students, it seems. If you need money, this might not be a good application choice.</p>
<p>Case Western Reserve University - “has very limited financial aid for international students.”</p>
<p>college of Wooster- “most international students can contribute greater than half of the cost of attendance”. Sounds like they also have limited aid for international students.</p>
<p>Wash U- couldn’t really find clear info</p>
<p>Skidmore- looks OK.</p>
<p>In addition University of Chicago and Duke are very clear that you MUST apply for aid as an incoming freshman or you will not be considered in subsequent years for need based aid.</p>
<p>You need to verify every word I’ve written. This is just MY Google search. Do your own.</p>
<p>Yes, it could make a difference in whether you are not accepted at those schools that are not need blind for international students. Thumper has listed some examples. Also, bear in mind that if you are accepted, and then financial aid looks at your aid application, what they feel your family has to pay may be a lot more than what your family can pay. And what the school financial aid office determines is what counts. So you might want to run a few NPC for the schools in mind and see what it looks like your family is expected to pay. Also ask the schools on your list outright if they have financial aid, merit money for international students if it is not clear on the web sites.</p>
<p>Just because a school is not need blind for admissions is not reason enough IMO to strike it from your list. You may get accepted there with the need, and if you do, some of such schools are very good about meeting your need once you get over the hurdle of admissions. Some of those schools that are need blind to internationals don’t have aid for them, don’t tend to meet even close to what the need is, for the most part, and some are so selective that your chances of getting accepted to them are so low that you have a better chance of getting accepted AND getting aid from some need aware schools. Just make sure, the school will give money to internationals because if there is a policy in place that they will not, then your chances are zero of getting anything from the school and a waste of time to appply.</p>
<p>Your bigger concern isn’t whether a school is “need blind”, your concern needs to be whether a school meets full need for int’ls. Most schools do not. </p>
<p>since your family can’t pay much, your choices will be very limited.</p>
<p>Your family’s contribution will essentially be your int’l travel costs.</p>
<p>There are only 6 U.S. colleges/universities that are both need blind for admissions and meet full need for all accepted international students. Most of the schools the OP listed are NOT in that list of six.</p>
<p>It does not matter if the college/university is need-blind for admissions, or if it meets full need for all accepted international students. What matters if it is an institution that might meet your full need. </p>
<p>The Net Price Calculators are not accurate for international students. Each college/university determines for itself what it thinks your need is. It is most likely that they will expect your family to pay more than what your family is prepared to pay. </p>
<p>Your test scores are excellent. If your grades are good too, there are a small number of places that would offer you a guaranteed full-ride where your costs would be limited to transportation to and from the US. Take a look at this thread. Investigate the guaranteed scholarships. Find out which are also available to international students. Some have very early cut-off dates, so you will need to apply NOW. <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/1348012-automatic-full-tuition-full-ride-scholarships.html?highlight=bobwallace[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/1348012-automatic-full-tuition-full-ride-scholarships.html?highlight=bobwallace</a></p>
<p>Apply NOW is right. Many of the applications for admission for for places where there are great merit awards must be completed by December 1.</p>
<p>Thumper is right. The more time you let go away coming up with reasons not to do this or that, the fewer options you will have left. You have to apply to have ANY chance of getting anything.</p>
<p>Though NPCs are not as accurate for a number of situations, and internationals do fall in that group, it’s still a good idea to run income and asset numbers through them for a number of schools, especially those that are all need based in aid and guarantee to meet US students’ needs. That way you can see if you even stand a chance of getting need based money. If your family income is, say, $150K, it doesn’t matter what your parent say they can afford, Ain’t no way most any school is going to accept what they can afford as their expected contribution. If they can’t come close to what the numbers are coming out, and the school has little or no merit money in the coffers, that’s not a school for you. The chances again are about zero you will get the money even if you do get accepted. This is an issue many students, Americans included, have. The school doesn’t care what your parents say they can afford. They make the determination themselves as to what they should pay based primarily on earnings and assets. If they run their own business, the numbers will be off since they include a lot fhings built into the business.</p>
<p>Thanks for the help guys!
As ignorant as my question makes me sound, I have been doing LOADS of research on this stuff for the past year. All the universities I’m applying to have some amount of need-based aid (except Drexel - they have a Global Scholars full-tuition merit scholarship). And yes, I trust NPCs as much as you do.
happymomof1: I’ve already applied to most of my regular decision colleges (as well as EA, of course), so I guess I’m actually going to meet all my scholarship deadlines. </p>
<p>Thanks again. Everyone’s been really helpful. 
Sometimes I just get a bit paranoid that my research may not be that accurate…</p>