<p>You have to understand the difference between need blind and need aware. Most schools are need blind for US students and need aware for International students. Even MIT which claims to need blind for international students is not totally so</p>
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How MIT Considers International Applicants</p>
<p>MIT receives many applications from very smart and talented international citizens. From this great pool of candidates we may only take a small cupful. Every year more than 3,000 international students apply to MIT, and we can admit fewer than 150. </p>
<p>We limit the number of international students we can accept because of our generous financial aid. MIT is one of the few schools in the world that offers need-blind admissions and meets their full financial need. “Need-blind” means we will consider your application equally, no matter how rich or poor you are or how much you could pay to attend. “Meeting your full financial need” mean MIT will give you enough financial aid so that you can afford to attend, no matter how much or how little your family can pay. </p>
<p>In order to maintain these policies of full fairness in our process we must limit the number of students whom we admit. However, even though the international application process is very competitive, we still admit wonderful students from all over the world every year. There are students from 115 countries at MIT. Approximately 9% of our undergraduates are international, and 38% of graduate students are citizens of other countries. There is a strong international community here at MIT, so no matter how far you are from home, you can still feel at home here. </p>
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<p>So what it means that it is more competitive for an international student as compared to a domestic student. They do not look at your need at time of application but limit the number of students so that do not exceed their FA budget.</p>
<p>Caltech is clearly need aware for internationals</p>
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The primary difference in applying to Caltech as an international student is financial aid. Caltech has financial aid available for international freshman candidates. However, admission is not need blind for these applicants, as it is for United States citizens and permanent residents.
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<p>Here is what Columbia says
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<p>All applicants who are citizens or permanent residents of the United States or students granted refugee visas by the United States are read in a need-blind manner, no matter where they attend school or where they reside. The term “need-blind” means financial need has no bearing on the admissions decision.</p>
<p>For students applying to begin in the fall of 2011 as a first-year or transfer, citizens of Canada and Mexico are also considered under the need-blind policy.</p>
<p>All other applicants are evaluated in a need-aware manner, which means that the admissions committee takes into consideration how much financial aid a student requires when rendering an admissions decision. Columbia admits a large number of foreign students who receive a substantial amount of financial aid.</p>
<p>Beginning with students enrolling in 2012, policies for Mexican and Canadian citizens will be made consistent with the need-aware policies for all foreign students. Financial aid will be available to Canadian and Mexican citizens through our significantly increased financial aid budget for foreign students, but students’ financial need will be considered at the time of admission.</p>
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