You are an international student? Not a U.S. citizen or permanent resident?
Are you sure your colleges give need based aid to international students? Do any of your colleges guarantee to meet full need for all international students?
Those colleges which meet full need for all international students are highly competitive for admissions.
Many colleges here only provide limited aid for international students…and some provide none.
Apply for aid if you need it. But more important…make sure you have some affordable options perhaps in your home country on your application list.
@“aunt bea” if this is an international student, there are a large number of colleges where he won’t be eligible to apply for need based aid ever…if he doesn’t apply as an incoming freshman.