Yes, this is critical - having to pass the admissions hurdle to reach the full needs met part. I understand there are a number of schools who are in this category of meeting full need if admitted, but needs aware for admission. I don’t know for sure, especially for the kind of colleges being talked about in this thread, but I’d also think right now need aware is going to be more acute than usual as so many colleges seem to have hurt financially over the past year. The temptation to swing to a higher proportion of full pay internationals must be there.