how do you signal full pay to need blind schools

[Anonymous]

We're not rich, but I know we're just over the line for full pay. we have some inheritance money that I can't shift to retirement.


Anywho - my question is, assuming full pay matters to these schools now, how can we signal that to need blind schools.

Our occupations, our own alma maters, our home address, kids schools, kids activities- all scream, middle America will need half aid.

If we're going to pay this price, I'd love to get the bump.

This is for the top 20 reach schools on the list. Kid agrees it's not worth paying 90k for wake.

[Anonymous]

At need blind colleges, do you really get a bump for being full pay?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:At need blind colleges, do you really get a bump for being full pay?

No, lol.

[Anonymous]

You are naive to think no. Or no, lol.

[Anonymous]

The whole point of need blind schools is that there is no penalty for needing FA - the corollary is that there is no boost for not needing aid.

[Anonymous]

Don't worry, they have an algorithm. They know you are full pay.

[Anonymous]

No you don’t get a bump, usually.

We are entering uncertain times, though, with the current funding gaps at large research institutions, including those making huge cuts and layoffs. Those schools may be looking for new sources of funding. It’s likely they won’t be looking for just full pay though.

They will be looking for potential new donors. So if you don’t have a big history of philanthropic giving that is findable through philanthropic databases, then being full pay may not be enough - for places like Duke or Cornell or Northwestern or Vanderbilt.

[Anonymous]

If the school is really need blind then your status as a full pay family wouldn’t factor into the admissions decision. That’s what need blind means. There is a belief that many so called need blind schools become more need aware as they progress past ED into RD and managing the waitlist. If you believe that, the way you tell a school you are full pay is by declining to fill out the FAFSA or otherwise requesting an evaluation for financial aid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:At need blind colleges, do you really get a bump for being full pay?

according to most ICs, yes, this year. and almost all need blind schools are need aware by a lot during the WL round. that was true even at Harvard this year. kids off the WL were almost all full pay. and if Harvard cares, they all care.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Don't worry, they have an algorithm. They know you are full pay.

This. It’s based on the tool: landscape. Based on your address, parents education, job titles.

Signaling comes from ECs.

[Anonymous]

Don’t submit a SSN#

[Anonymous]

You do not check the box on common app that says "are you applying for aid"

[Anonymous]

Everyone says don’t check the box that you’re applying for FA and don’t provide SSN. I personally don’t know if this helps. I suspect not for top schools. Only if they’re pulling off the waiting list. For others, I think it’s useful.

[Anonymous]

Wow, OP, you really ARE one of those people who think you can buy absolutely anything in life. These are need blind schools. You can't buy your way in unless you donate a building. And in your case, in fact, with your attitude a sense of privilege will no doubt permeate your kid's applications and will actually hurt and not help them. So good luck! I can't wait until reality hits.

Oh, and "anywho" makes you sound like a Valley Girl.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Don't worry, they have an algorithm. They know you are full pay.

This. It’s based on the tool: landscape. Based on your address, parents education, job titles.

Signaling comes from ECs.

Except that OP seems to think all those things do NOT signal full pay in their case. It sounds like they are full pay only because of an (I assume fairly recent) inheritance.