Isn’t most/all T20 privates need blind?

Anonymous wrote:What is the best way to signal that you are full pay on college application? Friend’s DD applied this cycle - got into UPenn ED - they did not fill out any financial forms to show they are full pay (for this year anyway, not sure if they can or will fill out in the future or if that is even allowed). Is that the best way to do it? Or if you have assets should you fill out all the forms to show them ‘we have the savings / assets to cover all 4 years at full pay’? What is the best strategy here? Thanks for all advice !

Are you implying full pay was the way to get accepted to UPenn ED?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is a question asking whether you are seeking financial aid. You just say no. I think that is it. We filled out Fafsa because DD applied to some merit scholarships, but she said no to financial aid.

Did some schools indicate you should do fafsa for merit? We didn’t do fafsa and DS still got merit at a few schools last year but wondering if we should do some thing differently for DD next year. Our income is high and we don’t need aid but getting merit is still nice.

I believe yes for Hopkins and Vanderbilt, which have a few full ride merit scholarships. Separate applications, I believe.

Anonymous wrote:we did not enter SS #’s, checked not applying for aid, used the other category for career so we could write in a high profile job title, and kids included an expensive extracurricular in activities. Our zip code has varied incomes and since we’re paying full tuition at private colleges plus annual donations, I was ok with having that be evident on applications

Same. Admitted to multiple RD T20 (last cycle, and two years prior).

So, if you do this (don’t fill out SSN, don’t fill out FAFSA etc) and your financial situation changes for later college years (like job loss, death /disability of earning parent, business closure etc) can you reapply for financial aid or is it ‘one and done’? Thx!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At first instinct I wanted to criticize OP, but why shouldn't OP get a leg up on a full-pay international student? I'm starting to get really conservative on my views on this....

Foreigner here. But are you xenophobic, is the real question.

My kids are US citizens and we are ready to pay full price. My oldest got merit aid. My second is still in high school, so we'll see.

Please don't dump on international families, thank you. They bring a diverse cultural viewpoint to American universities and a lot of them pay full price whether it's US tuition or international tuition.

NP. Your kids are not international applicants.

They are not, but I take offense at PP's remark that international applicants are somehow less desirable than anyone else. That's hate speech. Since my kids are dual citizens and I do not have American citizenship, I feel targeted.

As my great uncle (also a second generation American) would say, "I wish I had such tsuris."

Anonymous wrote:Schools care most about full pay in the later rounds like RD/deferral or waitlist. They don't consider it much in ED/ED2 and focus on those rounds to get their FG/LI stars in.

We’ve never filled out a financial aid form for anything but it wasn’t calculated.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At first instinct I wanted to criticize OP, but why shouldn't OP get a leg up on a full-pay international student? I'm starting to get really conservative on my views on this....

Foreigner here. But are you xenophobic, is the real question.

My kids are US citizens and we are ready to pay full price. My oldest got merit aid. My second is still in high school, so we'll see.

Please don't dump on international families, thank you. They bring a diverse cultural viewpoint to American universities and a lot of them pay full price whether it's US tuition or international tuition.

NP. Your kids are not international applicants.

They are not, but I take offense at PP's remark that international applicants are somehow less desirable than anyone else. That's hate speech. Since my kids are dual citizens and I do not have American citizenship, I feel targeted.

Dramatic, much? It’s hardly hate speech, and there is zero reason for you to feel targeted. However, if you want to work yourself up to a froth, that’s certainly your prerogative.

Schools care most about full pay in the later rounds like RD/deferral or waitlist. They don't consider it much in ED/ED2 and focus on those rounds to get their FG/LI stars in.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At first instinct I wanted to criticize OP, but why shouldn't OP get a leg up on a full-pay international student? I'm starting to get really conservative on my views on this....

Foreigner here. But are you xenophobic, is the real question.

My kids are US citizens and we are ready to pay full price. My oldest got merit aid. My second is still in high school, so we'll see.

Please don't dump on international families, thank you. They bring a diverse cultural viewpoint to American universities and a lot of them pay full price whether it's US tuition or international tuition.

NP. Your kids are not international applicants.

They are not, but I take offense at PP's remark that international applicants are somehow less desirable than anyone else. That's hate speech. Since my kids are dual citizens and I do not have American citizenship, I feel targeted.

I am the immediate PP. Colleges cap the numbers of internationals they seek to enroll. Chances are lower for internationals, even full pay ones, than for domestic applicants at most selective US schools.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At first instinct I wanted to criticize OP, but why shouldn't OP get a leg up on a full-pay international student? I'm starting to get really conservative on my views on this....

Foreigner here. But are you xenophobic, is the real question.

My kids are US citizens and we are ready to pay full price. My oldest got merit aid. My second is still in high school, so we'll see.

Please don't dump on international families, thank you. They bring a diverse cultural viewpoint to American universities and a lot of them pay full price whether it's US tuition or international tuition.

NP. Your kids are not international applicants.

They are not, but I take offense at PP's remark that international applicants are somehow less desirable than anyone else. That's hate speech. Since my kids are dual citizens and I do not have American citizenship, I feel targeted.

I think this was in reference to the thread that schools are accepting full pay international students with lesser credentials. I don't know if that claim was ever followed with stats, so it would be interesting if true. All things being equal, and both students paying full freight, take the American in the US university. It doesn't mean no international students- just the very bright ones. But people are very frustrated right now at the one-way road for international undergrad. Why does the US (and canada and uk) need to provide all the desirable schools? Why can't US students get into their own US schools?

That's what's behind this. Not xenophobia. So stop with the race card nonsense and playing the victim and have a real conversation, please.

Agree. I welcome a diverse cultural viewpoint but not at the expense of educating deserving students in our own country. We've been paying taxes that support education in our country for decades, have attended and supported public schools here for 12 years plus pre-K and K. We've contributed to and bettered our communities and our country with work and volunteerism for years, decades. I expect that after we have given so much over our lifetimes that our own children would be given fair consideration at a chance for education here vs.. being turned down in favor of students from other countries who leapfrog all of that sometimes because they simply can be full pay - even though American student are also often full pay. I don't think that is fair.

Exchange programs are great. Study abroad is great. If people are willing to actually move here and become citizens, great. I'm not saying we shouldn't have any international students at all - because I do think there is value in that. However, our priority should be the education of our own children.

we did not enter SS #’s, checked not applying for aid, used the other category for career so we could write in a high profile job title, and kids included an expensive extracurricular in activities. Our zip code has varied incomes and since we’re paying full tuition at private colleges plus annual donations, I was ok with having that be evident on applications

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At first instinct I wanted to criticize OP, but why shouldn't OP get a leg up on a full-pay international student? I'm starting to get really conservative on my views on this....

Foreigner here. But are you xenophobic, is the real question.

My kids are US citizens and we are ready to pay full price. My oldest got merit aid. My second is still in high school, so we'll see.

Please don't dump on international families, thank you. They bring a diverse cultural viewpoint to American universities and a lot of them pay full price whether it's US tuition or international tuition.

NP. Your kids are not international applicants.

They are not, but I take offense at PP's remark that international applicants are somehow less desirable than anyone else. That's hate speech. Since my kids are dual citizens and I do not have American citizenship, I feel targeted.

I think this was in reference to the thread that schools are accepting full pay international students with lesser credentials. I don't know if that claim was ever followed with stats, so it would be interesting if true. All things being equal, and both students paying full freight, take the American in the US university. It doesn't mean no international students- just the very bright ones. But people are very frustrated right now at the one-way road for international undergrad. Why does the US (and canada and uk) need to provide all the desirable schools? Why can't US students get into their own US schools?

That's what's behind this. Not xenophobia. So stop with the race card nonsense and playing the victim and have a real conversation, please.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At first instinct I wanted to criticize OP, but why shouldn't OP get a leg up on a full-pay international student? I'm starting to get really conservative on my views on this....

Foreigner here. But are you xenophobic, is the real question.

My kids are US citizens and we are ready to pay full price. My oldest got merit aid. My second is still in high school, so we'll see.

Please don't dump on international families, thank you. They bring a diverse cultural viewpoint to American universities and a lot of them pay full price whether it's US tuition or international tuition.

NP. Your kids are not international applicants.

They are not, but I take offense at PP's remark that international applicants are somehow less desirable than anyone else. That's hate speech. Since my kids are dual citizens and I do not have American citizenship, I feel targeted.

To the xenophobes and eat-the-rich posters - you do realize that full pay students are subsidizing financial aid?

If you are looking for need-based aid, you might be slightly less likely to get in at schools that aren't need-blind, but your aid is contingent on a certain number of applicants paying full price.

You win some, you lose some. Don't complain, and for God's sake, don't start stupidly hating on foreigners or rich people. We don't need more division in this country.

Work the system in any way you can. That's all.