<p>
Who said what exactly?</p>
<p>You are right that the phrase “need-blind” does not imply that there is actually any financial aid awarded; it only means that financial need will not factor into admission decision. I know a few colleges that describe themselves as “need-blind” but also warn international applicants that there’s only limited aid available. (I recall that the 3/2 engineering program at Columbia uses a phrasing very much like this; it’s also well known that Cornell is very stingy with financial aid for international students.) </p>
<p>And then there are the likes of Harvard and Princeton and MIT who are “need-blind” and pledge to “meet the full demonstrated need” of every admitted student. You are not claiming that these universities have been publishing fraudulent data about their student body for years, are you?</p>