South Asian male applicants

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am the parent of a South Asian male senior. This is how it is playing out - excellent EC, top grades, rigorous curriculum, top SATs, prestigious internships. job, community service, national and state level honors, good recommendations, great essays etc... but riding the rejection train currently. We are full pay family.

My kid is brilliant and in STEM field, so he will be ok even in a not-top college. Eventually, he will be employed because of his skills and because barrier to entry is high for his career choice. He refused to lie on his application and clearly said that he wanted to do CS or Engineering...which is death knell for South Asian males. Maybe he will go via the community college route? Who knows.

Basically, savvy SA people are going for CS/Engineering - adjacent majors along with another humanities major like gender studies/ women studies/LGBTQ studies etc. Most are also pretending that they are bisexual or binary (using They/Them) and writing in their essays that their South Asian parents have been beating the sh1t out of them because of their sexuality. All of this is allowing them to get into Ivy Leagues. My son did not have the appetite for that so that is that...

Also, by being denied admissions because of his race has made him more savvy about racial-politics in USA. His blinders are off, and hopefully this will teach him to be less idealistic and more capable of looking out for his own interests in the future. USA is all about screwing every one else, and this lesson was very important for him to learn.

I don’t disagree that being South Asian (or any kind of Asian) puts a kid at a disadvantage for college admissions.

However, I take issue with your last comment. Sounds like you want to find a reason to hate the USA. I hope you have family in India or Pakistan (or whichever country you are from). The culture there is very much about looking our for yourself and screw what happens to ‘others’.

The reason Asians are discriminated against here in the US is because Blacks and Latinos have a harder time and the US colleges are trying to adjust for that.

Your entire post is a racist rant. But, get it in your thick head that this is not your country and has never been. So, I can live here and say what I want unless the native Americans tell everyone to leave. This is my country now and I probably own a bigger part of it than you will ever do.

Unfortunately, more Blacks and Latinos are not replacing Asian-Americans. Asians are being replaced with lower performing Whites. US colleges can try and adjust for whatever they think they want to adjust for, eventually, South Asians are getting the jobs based on their skills and qualification and doing this without and student loans.

Implying that South Asians are somehow intellectually superior makes you sound really racist.

Yeah PP. You can't make "them" feel like victims. It's their manifest destiny to be superior and victimize others

Bravo on your response. This is indeed your country too!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Asians make up 5.9% of the US population. So they should make up 5.9% of the admissions at every university in order to be representative. Anything over that is overrepresentation.

https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/US/PST045221

Western countries represent 15% of global population. They control or own 60% of global assets. Anything over 15% is robbery and should be returned to other countries based on population. How 'bout you implement this first and come back for the 5.9% discussion?

Bravo!

Hmm. Why? Wealth creation isn't based on a fixed amount of wealth distributed across the globe so that you only get richer by effectively stealing from another country. It's about the production of goods and services. Western countries for a long time had the most liberal and advanced economies and that is why they are the wealthiest. Most wealth generated in western countries are produced in the West.

And, of course, people of non-western heritages are playing increasingly prominent roles in the Western industries (just look at big tech). Meanwhile, Western countries are increasingly offshoring industries to non-western countries (and stimulating the growth of their rich and middle classes).

Interestingly enough, if you genuinely want to get into a debate over mercantilist trading practices, the scourge is not the West but a certain massive East Asian nation and their brutal attitudes to trade treaties with developing countries......

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Asians make up 5.9% of the US population. So they should make up 5.9% of the admissions at every university in order to be representative. Anything over that is overrepresentation.

https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/US/PST045221

Western countries represent 15% of global population. They control or own 60% of global assets. Anything over 15% is robbery and should be returned to other countries based on population. How 'bout you implement this first and come back for the 5.9% discussion?

Bravo!

Hmm. Why? Wealth creation isn't based on a fixed amount of wealth distributed across the globe so that you only get richer by effectively stealing from another country. It's about the production of goods and services. Western countries for a long time had the most liberal and advanced economies and that is why they are the wealthiest. Most wealth generated in western countries are produced in the West.

And, of course, people of non-western heritages are playing increasingly prominent roles in the Western industries (just look at big tech). Meanwhile, Western countries are increasingly offshoring industries to non-western countries (and stimulating the growth of their rich and middle classes).

Interestingly enough, if you genuinely want to get into a debate over mercantilist trading practices, the scourge is not the West but a certain massive East Asian nation and their brutal attitudes to trade treaties with developing countries......

Fair points. But if you look at the wealth controlled by England, France and Italy for example, it cannot be just explained by what they produce and export. It's what they "own". Most of that came from loot and plunder.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ok. Here is some advice you can actually use. Forget HYPSM and most of the ivies, except maybe Cornell maybe. Don't count on these schools or waste your ED/SCEA card on them. You will most probably come up empty and frustrated

If you are able to
1) flag that you don't need aid. It makes a difference even if everybody tells you it doesn't. Once you get in, you can apply for aid for years 2-4. and reveal your real need. You are going to have to eat the first year cost to boost your chances. Don't submit any aid forms or Fafsa or anything else.
2) Target one of the following schools during the ED round: WashU, Emory, Vanderbilt, Uchicago, Duke, CMU, NYU but don't count on it
3) Avoid showing that your child wants to do CS, Econ, Engineering, business, pre-med. If possible tailor your app to highlight another major with his EC's
4) Have a backup plan for the state flagship. That's probably where he will most probably land.

Sorry. But that's the reality for the South Asian male today. It sucks, but it's what it is

If he cant get into Cornell he won't get into Duke or Vandy

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Any south Asian male student parents on? Or do any of you have any ideas of how the admission season is panning out for them? It is very tough in our school---south Asian boys even with very high stats and scores and good ECs did not get into ED. Worried parent of a South Asian male junior. Please no politics.

Do you understand that nearly all admissions decisions tend to be a lot more nuanced than just stats and test scores?

Do you also understand that a LOT of kids with very high stats and scores of all races and genders are having trouble gaining admission to their top choices?

OP here: Yes, I do. It is just hard(er) when a URM student whose parents are very well to do and who has lower stats and non spectacular ECs gets into a selective college and the South Asian student does not. We would have to be ostriches to deny this is happening. And I am talking about a South Asian applicant who has won hackathons and national competitions versus a candidate who has just participated in a school varsity sports teams and school clubs.
My child is still a junior so I am not talking about my student.

When the differences are obvious nuances kind of become irrelevant.

Schools value students ec's not because they are measures of value, but because they want students who will contribute in diverse ways to the school community. So they want athletes who will populate their intramural clubs, musicians for the marching band and other music groups, club leaders who will form and lead clubs, people who will host hack-a-thons etc. These aren't meant to be some measure of relative merit--schools select a community. So the hackathon kid is in competition with the other hackathon kids more than the sports team captains or the artists or musicians or social activists. So the more accurate evidence of there being potential racial bias in your example would be if the hackathon winning/national competition Asian kid with higher stats was not accepted while a non-Asia hackathon losing kid who didn't qualify for the national competition with lower stats applying to the same major.

And note--you seem to downplay varsity sports in favor of winning hackathons--but sports are valued in the US and US colleges. Even if athletes don't play on the college teams there is a belief that varsity athletic performance is evidence of discipline, collaboration and achievement. It's not seen as less meritocratic or relevant than programming skills. You may disagree with this, but it has long been a meaningful part of the conception of merit in the US college system.

Yeah because hackathons don’t promote discipline, collaboration and achievement. Spare me your platitudes about athletes being special for doing nothing more than any other student who is committed to an activity.

No need to sound so ugly PP

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Asians make up 5.9% of the US population. So they should make up 5.9% of the admissions at every university in order to be representative. Anything over that is overrepresentation.

https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/US/PST045221

Western countries represent 15% of global population. They control or own 60% of global assets. Anything over 15% is robbery and should be returned to other countries based on population. How 'bout you implement this first and come back for the 5.9% discussion?

Bravo!

Hmm. Why? Wealth creation isn't based on a fixed amount of wealth distributed across the globe so that you only get richer by effectively stealing from another country. It's about the production of goods and services. Western countries for a long time had the most liberal and advanced economies and that is why they are the wealthiest. Most wealth generated in western countries are produced in the West.

And, of course, people of non-western heritages are playing increasingly prominent roles in the Western industries (just look at big tech). Meanwhile, Western countries are increasingly offshoring industries to non-western countries (and stimulating the growth of their rich and middle classes).

Interestingly enough, if you genuinely want to get into a debate over mercantilist trading practices, the scourge is not the West but a certain massive East Asian nation and their brutal attitudes to trade treaties with developing countries......

Fair points. But if you look at the wealth controlled by England, France and Italy for example, it cannot be just explained by what they produce and export. It's what they "own". Most of that came from loot and plunder.

Yup. French vineyards. Looted and plundered and brought to France.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ok. Here is some advice you can actually use. Forget HYPSM and most of the ivies, except maybe Cornell maybe. Don't count on these schools or waste your ED/SCEA card on them. You will most probably come up empty and frustrated

If you are able to
1) flag that you don't need aid. It makes a difference even if everybody tells you it doesn't. Once you get in, you can apply for aid for years 2-4. and reveal your real need. You are going to have to eat the first year cost to boost your chances. Don't submit any aid forms or Fafsa or anything else.
2) Target one of the following schools during the ED round: WashU, Emory, Vanderbilt, Uchicago, Duke, CMU, NYU but don't count on it
3) Avoid showing that your child wants to do CS, Econ, Engineering, business, pre-med. If possible tailor your app to highlight another major with his EC's
4) Have a backup plan for the state flagship. That's probably where he will most probably land.

Sorry. But that's the reality for the South Asian male today. It sucks, but it's what it is

The early acceptance rate at most Ivy schools is sub 10%. Your kid got rejected or deferred? Welcome to the club. It’s not tough just for South Asians.

+1
This is true. And I'd even say for schools that accept 20% as well. It has been said a thousand times on these threads but when the acceptance rates are that low it is a lottery. Focusing on anything else is extremely distracting to this basic fact.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am the parent of a South Asian male senior. This is how it is playing out - excellent EC, top grades, rigorous curriculum, top SATs, prestigious internships. job, community service, national and state level honors, good recommendations, great essays etc... but riding the rejection train currently. We are full pay family.

My kid is brilliant and in STEM field, so he will be ok even in a not-top college. Eventually, he will be employed because of his skills and because barrier to entry is high for his career choice. He refused to lie on his application and clearly said that he wanted to do CS or Engineering...which is death knell for South Asian males. Maybe he will go via the community college route? Who knows.

Basically, savvy SA people are going for CS/Engineering - adjacent majors along with another humanities major like gender studies/ women studies/LGBTQ studies etc. Most are also pretending that they are bisexual or binary (using They/Them) and writing in their essays that their South Asian parents have been beating the sh1t out of them because of their sexuality. All of this is allowing them to get into Ivy Leagues. My son did not have the appetite for that so that is that...

Also, by being denied admissions because of his race has made him more savvy about racial-politics in USA. His blinders are off, and hopefully this will teach him to be less idealistic and more capable of looking out for his own interests in the future. USA is all about screwing every one else, and this lesson was very important for him to learn.

When you say things like "Most are also pretending that they are bisexual or binary (using They/Them) and writing in their essays that their South Asian parents have been beating the sh1t out of them because of their sexuality", it's difficult to believe anything else you say. It makes it seem more likely that one or more of the adjectives you're using to describe your DS (excellent, top, rigorous, prestigious, great) is overly optimistic. This isn't at all meant to be belittling, just to point out that many parents of all backgrounds are rightly proud of their children's accomplishments but don't realize how many other students have a similar list.

There are 36k US students in the top 1% graduating every year. And there are 200k to 250k international students ENROLLING in US universities every year, with probably half being just as capable as that 36k from the US. Let's say it's only 64k of the international students, making 100k extremely capable students competing for many fewer spots than that at the most selective colleges. This leads to many, many very strong students (perhaps including your undoubtedly highly talented and intelligent son, although there's still time) who aren't offered admission to the most well-known universities.

Like you said, because they're so talented and ambitious, though, they'll be fine wherever they end up. Penn State, Michigan, Maryland, etc. are at least as capable of giving your son a bight future in STEM as any of the Ivies or Duke or Stanford.

+1
Perhaps your obviously high achieving child is still one of thousands regardless of their race. Or for the area of the country you live. Or for the areas in which your child would like to study. Or for many reasons where even a high stats kid is one of so many.

The bottom line is that at top colleges the spots for admission are far far FAR fewer than those seeking admission.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ok. Here is some advice you can actually use. Forget HYPSM and most of the ivies, except maybe Cornell maybe. Don't count on these schools or waste your ED/SCEA card on them. You will most probably come up empty and frustrated

If you are able to
1) flag that you don't need aid. It makes a difference even if everybody tells you it doesn't. Once you get in, you can apply for aid for years 2-4. and reveal your real need. You are going to have to eat the first year cost to boost your chances. Don't submit any aid forms or Fafsa or anything else.
2) Target one of the following schools during the ED round: WashU, Emory, Vanderbilt, Uchicago, Duke, CMU, NYU but don't count on it
3) Avoid showing that your child wants to do CS, Econ, Engineering, business, pre-med. If possible tailor your app to highlight another major with his EC's
4) Have a backup plan for the state flagship. That's probably where he will most probably land.

Sorry. But that's the reality for the South Asian male today. It sucks, but it's what it is

#1 - What?!? If you don’t apply for financial aid at time of admission, particularly a need-aware college may choose not to consider any future aid requests for institutional grants, barring a significant change in circumstances. That’s a risky move that the colleges have already thought through. You still might get federal aid. But then what’s the point of this?

Aid decisions are made fresh every year based on Fafsa and college specific application. If you don't submit any docs first year, they willl make a fresh decision based on what you submit during Spring/Summer of freshman year for next year. That's how it's done in need blind colleges. They don't deny you aid one year because you didn't ask for aid the previous year. The key is not to submit any financial docs first year, if you are willing to eat the cost for a year to boost admission chances

But it does kick you out of any merit award considerations that often require you to have submitted a FAFSA. Those are usually awarded in the first year and carry through all 4.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ok. Here is some advice you can actually use. Forget HYPSM and most of the ivies, except maybe Cornell maybe. Don't count on these schools or waste your ED/SCEA card on them. You will most probably come up empty and frustrated

If you are able to
1) flag that you don't need aid. It makes a difference even if everybody tells you it doesn't. Once you get in, you can apply for aid for years 2-4. and reveal your real need. You are going to have to eat the first year cost to boost your chances. Don't submit any aid forms or Fafsa or anything else.
2) Target one of the following schools during the ED round: WashU, Emory, Vanderbilt, Uchicago, Duke, CMU, NYU but don't count on it
3) Avoid showing that your child wants to do CS, Econ, Engineering, business, pre-med. If possible tailor your app to highlight another major with his EC's
4) Have a backup plan for the state flagship. That's probably where he will most probably land.

Sorry. But that's the reality for the South Asian male today. It sucks, but it's what it is

#1 - What?!? If you don’t apply for financial aid at time of admission, particularly a need-aware college may choose not to consider any future aid requests for institutional grants, barring a significant change in circumstances. That’s a risky move that the colleges have already thought through. You still might get federal aid. But then what’s the point of this?

Aid decisions are made fresh every year based on Fafsa and college specific application. If you don't submit any docs first year, they willl make a fresh decision based on what you submit during Spring/Summer of freshman year for next year. That's how it's done in need blind colleges. They don't deny you aid one year because you didn't ask for aid the previous year. The key is not to submit any financial docs first year, if you are willing to eat the cost for a year to boost admission chances

But it does kick you out of any merit award considerations that often require you to have submitted a FAFSA. Those are usually awarded in the first year and carry through all 4.

Depends on the school. My DC got merit offers with no FAFSA about I know some schools require it. Also, FWIW, DC’s school said if they did not apply for FA first year, they would not get it the following 3 unless there was a major change.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ok. Here is some advice you can actually use. Forget HYPSM and most of the ivies, except maybe Cornell maybe. Don't count on these schools or waste your ED/SCEA card on them. You will most probably come up empty and frustrated

If you are able to
1) flag that you don't need aid. It makes a difference even if everybody tells you it doesn't. Once you get in, you can apply for aid for years 2-4. and reveal your real need. You are going to have to eat the first year cost to boost your chances. Don't submit any aid forms or Fafsa or anything else.
2) Target one of the following schools during the ED round: WashU, Emory, Vanderbilt, Uchicago, Duke, CMU, NYU but don't count on it
3) Avoid showing that your child wants to do CS, Econ, Engineering, business, pre-med. If possible tailor your app to highlight another major with his EC's
4) Have a backup plan for the state flagship. That's probably where he will most probably land.

Sorry. But that's the reality for the South Asian male today. It sucks, but it's what it is

#1 - What?!? If you don’t apply for financial aid at time of admission, particularly a need-aware college may choose not to consider any future aid requests for institutional grants, barring a significant change in circumstances. That’s a risky move that the colleges have already thought through. You still might get federal aid. But then what’s the point of this?

Aid decisions are made fresh every year based on Fafsa and college specific application. If you don't submit any docs first year, they willl make a fresh decision based on what you submit during Spring/Summer of freshman year for next year. That's how it's done in need blind colleges. They don't deny you aid one year because you didn't ask for aid the previous year. The key is not to submit any financial docs first year, if you are willing to eat the cost for a year to boost admission chances

But it does kick you out of any merit award considerations that often require you to have submitted a FAFSA. Those are usually awarded in the first year and carry through all 4.

Depends on the school. My DC got merit offers with no FAFSA about I know some schools require it. Also, FWIW, DC’s school said if they did not apply for FA first year, they would not get it the following 3 unless there was a major change.

This is common at need-aware schools. You don't just have to document financial need, you have to document that your financial needs have changed considerably since applying as full pay. They are on to PP's strategies. You can still apply FAFSA of course, but you would only get federal aid which would be loans and work/study, not institutional aid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ok. Here is some advice you can actually use. Forget HYPSM and most of the ivies, except maybe Cornell maybe. Don't count on these schools or waste your ED/SCEA card on them. You will most probably come up empty and frustrated

If you are able to
1) flag that you don't need aid. It makes a difference even if everybody tells you it doesn't. Once you get in, you can apply for aid for years 2-4. and reveal your real need. You are going to have to eat the first year cost to boost your chances. Don't submit any aid forms or Fafsa or anything else.
2) Target one of the following schools during the ED round: WashU, Emory, Vanderbilt, Uchicago, Duke, CMU, NYU but don't count on it
3) Avoid showing that your child wants to do CS, Econ, Engineering, business, pre-med. If possible tailor your app to highlight another major with his EC's
4) Have a backup plan for the state flagship. That's probably where he will most probably land.

Sorry. But that's the reality for the South Asian male today. It sucks, but it's what it is

#1 - What?!? If you don’t apply for financial aid at time of admission, particularly a need-aware college may choose not to consider any future aid requests for institutional grants, barring a significant change in circumstances. That’s a risky move that the colleges have already thought through. You still might get federal aid. But then what’s the point of this?

Aid decisions are made fresh every year based on Fafsa and college specific application. If you don't submit any docs first year, they willl make a fresh decision based on what you submit during Spring/Summer of freshman year for next year. That's how it's done in need blind colleges. They don't deny you aid one year because you didn't ask for aid the previous year. The key is not to submit any financial docs first year, if you are willing to eat the cost for a year to boost admission chances

But it does kick you out of any merit award considerations that often require you to have submitted a FAFSA. Those are usually awarded in the first year and carry through all 4.

Depends on the school. My DC got merit offers with no FAFSA about I know some schools require it. Also, FWIW, DC’s school said if they did not apply for FA first year, they would not get it the following 3 unless there was a major change.

If the DC doesn't submit a FAFSA, how do they know there was a major change from one year to the next?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ok. Here is some advice you can actually use. Forget HYPSM and most of the ivies, except maybe Cornell maybe. Don't count on these schools or waste your ED/SCEA card on them. You will most probably come up empty and frustrated

If you are able to
1) flag that you don't need aid. It makes a difference even if everybody tells you it doesn't. Once you get in, you can apply for aid for years 2-4. and reveal your real need. You are going to have to eat the first year cost to boost your chances. Don't submit any aid forms or Fafsa or anything else.
2) Target one of the following schools during the ED round: WashU, Emory, Vanderbilt, Uchicago, Duke, CMU, NYU but don't count on it
3) Avoid showing that your child wants to do CS, Econ, Engineering, business, pre-med. If possible tailor your app to highlight another major with his EC's
4) Have a backup plan for the state flagship. That's probably where he will most probably land.

Sorry. But that's the reality for the South Asian male today. It sucks, but it's what it is

#1 - What?!? If you don’t apply for financial aid at time of admission, particularly a need-aware college may choose not to consider any future aid requests for institutional grants, barring a significant change in circumstances. That’s a risky move that the colleges have already thought through. You still might get federal aid. But then what’s the point of this?

Aid decisions are made fresh every year based on Fafsa and college specific application. If you don't submit any docs first year, they willl make a fresh decision based on what you submit during Spring/Summer of freshman year for next year. That's how it's done in need blind colleges. They don't deny you aid one year because you didn't ask for aid the previous year. The key is not to submit any financial docs first year, if you are willing to eat the cost for a year to boost admission chances

But it does kick you out of any merit award considerations that often require you to have submitted a FAFSA. Those are usually awarded in the first year and carry through all 4.

Depends on the school. My DC got merit offers with no FAFSA about I know some schools require it. Also, FWIW, DC’s school said if they did not apply for FA first year, they would not get it the following 3 unless there was a major change.

This is common at need-aware schools. You don't just have to document financial need, you have to document that your financial needs have changed considerably since applying as full pay. They are on to PP's strategies. You can still apply FAFSA of course, but you would only get federal aid which would be loans and work/study, not institutional aid.

Got it - just asked about this. I can see that. As a kid who was full FAFSA and had no option to game system, that makes sense.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Any south Asian male student parents on? Or do any of you have any ideas of how the admission season is panning out for them? It is very tough in our school---south Asian boys even with very high stats and scores and good ECs did not get into ED. Worried parent of a South Asian male junior. Please no politics.

Do you understand that nearly all admissions decisions tend to be a lot more nuanced than just stats and test scores?

Do you also understand that a LOT of kids with very high stats and scores of all races and genders are having trouble gaining admission to their top choices?

+1

THIS.

This is the answer. Dig deeper for true safeties.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ok. Here is some advice you can actually use. Forget HYPSM and most of the ivies, except maybe Cornell maybe. Don't count on these schools or waste your ED/SCEA card on them. You will most probably come up empty and frustrated

If you are able to
1) flag that you don't need aid. It makes a difference even if everybody tells you it doesn't. Once you get in, you can apply for aid for years 2-4. and reveal your real need. You are going to have to eat the first year cost to boost your chances. Don't submit any aid forms or Fafsa or anything else.
2) Target one of the following schools during the ED round: WashU, Emory, Vanderbilt, Uchicago, Duke, CMU, NYU but don't count on it
3) Avoid showing that your child wants to do CS, Econ, Engineering, business, pre-med. If possible tailor your app to highlight another major with his EC's
4) Have a backup plan for the state flagship. That's probably where he will most probably land.

Sorry. But that's the reality for the South Asian male today. It sucks, but it's what it is

#1 - What?!? If you don’t apply for financial aid at time of admission, particularly a need-aware college may choose not to consider any future aid requests for institutional grants, barring a significant change in circumstances. That’s a risky move that the colleges have already thought through. You still might get federal aid. But then what’s the point of this?

Aid decisions are made fresh every year based on Fafsa and college specific application. If you don't submit any docs first year, they willl make a fresh decision based on what you submit during Spring/Summer of freshman year for next year. That's how it's done in need blind colleges. They don't deny you aid one year because you didn't ask for aid the previous year. The key is not to submit any financial docs first year, if you are willing to eat the cost for a year to boost admission chances

But it does kick you out of any merit award considerations that often require you to have submitted a FAFSA. Those are usually awarded in the first year and carry through all 4.

Depends on the school. My DC got merit offers with no FAFSA about I know some schools require it. Also, FWIW, DC’s school said if they did not apply for FA first year, they would not get it the following 3 unless there was a major change.

If the DC doesn't submit a FAFSA, how do they know there was a major change from one year to the next?

You have to submit your employment and asset information from the prior year and the change and attest that they are accurate. It's not easy to fake. FAFSA is not the primary issue as they only offer grants to very, very low income and loans to others. The institutional profile (CSS) is where they make decisions about institution-based aid usually--and it's way more detailed. Sometimes results in a better financial aid agreement sometimes not. Much harder to hide assets on it.