chrism

If a school reports that its admissions are "need blind", why on earth would one question on the audition form (1 page) be: "are you applying for financial aid?"

Why would they care? could it be that college admissions overall are need blind, but different departments only have so much financial aid money allocated to each department?

doctorjohn

Chrism:

It’s a good question.

First, some background on “need blind admissions”, for those who may not be familiar with the term. The point of the policy is to separate ability to pay from the admissions process. Before this approach was instituted, students admitted to the most prestigious schools, especially the Ivies, were typically white, upper-middle class graduates of private schools. That all changed in the mid-60’s, and it’s been one of the great successes in American higher education. There’s an excellent article on Yale’s policy at:

http://www.yalealumnimagazine.com/is...dmissions.html

A google search on "need blind admissions" (be sure to put in the quotation marks) will yield other helpful articles.

It's a critically important policy, in my view, to ensuring that the ability to pay is not the determining factor in admissions. But the policy is under severe stress, as you'll read in the Yale article, for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is the reduction in federal financial aid. Here's a CNN article on the Pell Grant situation:

http://edition.cnn.com/2004/EDUCATIO...3/pell.grants/

But you asked why a question about needing financial aid would appear on an audition form, when the school’s policy is need blind admissions. Honestly, I’m not sure. It would seem to violate the spirit, if not the letter, of the policy. We only look at financial needs after we’ve decided whom we want to admit, and everyone we admit receives a talent grant, regardless of need. But some departments may not have that luxury. If they’re on a strict budget, they may need to admit a certain number of students who don’t need financial aid. If you’ll write to me privately with the name of the school whose form has that question, I’ll see what I can find out.

jamimom

When I worked as a clerk in the admissions office, the school where I worked was not entirely need blind, but did the admissions on a need blind basis, but coded the kids "A", "B", "C". "C" kids who needed financial aid were reassessed after the aid packages were done, and the kids most gapped were dropped from admission. Usually a small number, at least when I was there. But with the volume of applications that came in during the peak of the season, the kids who needed financial aid who were admitted, were immediately identified the financial aid office so the need analysis could start ASAP and the letters be mailed with the decision. It was often very, very tight and every shortcut was appreciated. Having that "financial aid" indicator right there on the forms, ensured that the kid was not accidently overlooked in the app being sent to the aid office. Now there was no audition element in this process, and it would seem that the question is unnecessary on an auditiion form, but the question alone is really not that useful as some kids are applying for financial aid just to see what they can get in subsidized loans, some may end up not qualifying for a dime, some may come up with a small amount of need, some may need a full ride. There is no way to come up with where the applicant lies without the aid forms which are in the financial aid office. There is a big difference between a kid who needs $3000 vs $30,000, and it is doubtful that you can assess the audition, the resume, the academic qualifiations and the aid all in one. The infor is often there to facilitate the smooth administration of the system. Now, of course, there are a number of schools where the aid and the decisions are made in the same office, and in that case, I am not sure how need blind admissions can be. But as I mentioned earlier in this post, even in a need aware school, admissions does not bother to try to put finances in the admissions picture; that is done at the end of the process and for those at the tail end of the acceptances.