Anonymous wrote:Are many applicants misrepresenting financial aid or income information to gain an admissions advantage, particularly students who pretends poor or hide the tax records (case I heard is small family businesses that operate primarily in cash)? Is it true that schools find it nearly impossible to accurately assess a family’s ability to pay? If so, does this place full-pay students at a disadvantage in the admissions process or require them to shoulder an additional burden by subsidizing those who falsely claim financial need?

False for regular students who file through FAFSA, OP. Yes, some issues of fraud through Questbridge, which probably no one here qualifies for. Please provide cites for your assertions

PP. what’s more likely, some families live a very leveraged lifestyle and are really much poorer than they appear. This is the explanation for “rich” people getting aid. The grandparents own the house, the “business” is losing money, and they are up to their ears in debt.

Based on what I know from being a friend with someone who used to work in a college financial aid office, it’s certainly possible to hide assets, but not as easy as some people think. For one, colleges know where you live and what car(s) your family owns, so if what you report doesn’t match your lifestyle, they will start asking questions. Also, it’s hard to hide the assets without shooting yourself in the foot. You can sign off your house to your sister, but at that point it’s not your house for real. Similarly, with all the stories of people quitting their jobs in order to get aid - sure, you are declining $200K+ for 5-6 years in order to get $80K for 4 years - things just don’t add up.

I know of one family with money outside the US who are not disclosing it. Kid in via Questbridge. One of the parents is an attorney, but not working last year (only) for this reason.

Colleges know that this is very much done on good faith. They have no way of investigating it.

Donut hole family, who's salaries combined were under $150k until very recently (now $190k, paying $90k per year, in full).

If it makes you feel better, were full pay and not gaming the system. There are plenty of us out here. Agree that you'll be better off if you don't think too hard about what everybody else is paying.

People just have to believe someone (preferably a minority or poor person) is gaming the system at their expense. So when their kid gets rejected it’s not their fault. Cope harder everyone.

All these issues could be solved if college were free for 98% of families. The ultra-rich own enormous wealth and could easily cover everyone’s tuition.

Wealthy families are probably the most skilled at hiding
assets and minimizing income. How will schools know if they answer "no" they aren't the beneficiary of a trust? The wealthiest households have many strategies here and mc (and even upper mc) are pretty much always in a tough spo regarding college affordability. Even for upper middle class families with income ranges in $200'sk to $400k, $70k is unaffordable.

Anonymous wrote:It definitely happens but lots of fraud happens in life. Nothing to do about it. Stay in your own lane and don't worry about other people or you'll drive yourself nuts.

It is unfair to the hard working mc students. These institutes are encouraging frauds basically

It definitely happens but lots of fraud happens in life. Nothing to do about it. Stay in your own lane and don't worry about other people or you'll drive yourself nuts.

Anonymous wrote:I feel like there’s a thread along these lines every year after the Questbridge decisions come out. How about you just worry about yourself. There is no universe where full pay families are at a disadvantage in admissions. To the contrary, it’s a semi-hook.

No, it isn’t.

Anonymous wrote:I feel like there’s a thread along these lines every year after the Questbridge decisions come out. How about you just worry about yourself. There is no universe where full pay families are at a disadvantage in admissions. To the contrary, it’s a semi-hook.

So this does happen. Smh

I feel like there’s a thread along these lines every year after the Questbridge decisions come out. How about you just worry about yourself. There is no universe where full pay families are at a disadvantage in admissions. To the contrary, it’s a semi-hook.

Are many applicants misrepresenting financial aid or income information to gain an admissions advantage, particularly students who pretends poor or hide the tax records (case I heard is small family businesses that operate primarily in cash)? Is it true that schools find it nearly impossible to accurately assess a family’s ability to pay? If so, does this place full-pay students at a disadvantage in the admissions process or require them to shoulder an additional burden by subsidizing those who falsely claim financial need?