<p>I have heard that colleges are more favorable to admitting you if you answer NO to the question on most college applications: Are you APPLYING FOR FINANCIAL AID? I do not feel that is a fair question and it puts those with financial aid need at a disadvantage no matter what colleges say about being need blind- they want the money $$$$
So can I answer No I am not applying for financial aid and then still apply for financial aid before March anyway? </p>
<p>Many schools practice a policy of need-blind admission, meaning that they won’t take your answer to that question into account.</p>
<p>I wouldn’t expect colleges that consider need in admissions to be as generous with financial aid as colleges that don’t, so while it may help you get admitted it won’t necessarily get you the aid to pay for an unaffordable school. It’s always best to be truthful on your applications anyway…</p>
<p>It depends upon the college, so I would check all the financial aid websites of the colleges on your list. For example, <a href=“http://www.wesleyan.edu/finaid/applying/prospectivestudents.html”>http://www.wesleyan.edu/finaid/applying/prospectivestudents.html</a></p>
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<p>That would be a really dumb idea. If you need the aid, say so. If they don’t admit you because you would need too much aid to attend, well then frankly, it isn’t a place you want to be associated with anyway.</p>
<p>It is NEVER a good idea to lie on a college application. </p>
<p>I thought there were deadlines to apply for aid that aligned or fell somewhere around the deadlines for admission. So can one apply to a college and then apply for aid once accepted? I didn’t think it worked that way. Thought they gave you your aid package with your acceptance letter. No? </p>
<p>Why would you apply for aid when you need none???</p>
<p>But unless you are a foreigner, many schools are need blind.( I don’t understand why CA asks FA question though)</p>
<p>I honestly don’t think it matters despite some posters wrote that it matters. There are plenty of full pay people if you look at these top colleges.</p>
<p>Aside from a very tippy-top schools (HYP notably) most colleges have specific deadlines for financial aid that coincide with their RD acceptance notification date – and those dates are written in stone. So, unless the OP’s family can afford to pay full-fare for the 1st year of college, I would not recommend trying to “bait and switch” a college, as it can easily backfire.</p>