<p>I’ve heard that Carleton is “need aware” in admissions. Can anyone explain what the process is by which need is brought to bear on the admissions decision?</p>
<p>According to Paul Thiboutot, Dean of Admissions, Carleton is, on average, admitting about 90% of applicants without regard to need. Can’t find any info on how they specifically factor need into admissions decisions.</p>
<p>Carleton moved from a 100% to a 90% need-blind policy more than a decade ago. I can think of no school more anxious to close that 10% gap once again.</p>
<p>But I suspect Carleton’s been struggling with a difficult set of real world stats. Even after establishing need-blind policies, Swarthmore/Amherst/Williams, between them, average about 48% of their student bodies on financial aid. Even though not fully need-blind, 56% of Carleton’s student body receives support and has done so historically. Could this be a Midwest/East coast, less/more affluent student self-selection bias? Whatever the reason, with Carleton committed to meeting the full financial need of each student receiving aid, and with their aid numbers surpassing those of other top LACs, it’s easy to see their hesitation in further expanding aid - yet. Now, if President Oden gets the $300 million he’s seeking in the Campaign for Carleton, just maybe…</p>
<p>I think we will have a low EFC, and I have the feeling that this will negatively impact my son’s chances of getting in. It would be nice to know exactly what “90% need-blind” means. Does it mean that they scrutinize the EFCs of the bottom 10 or 20% of tentatively accepted students and drop those with low EFCs? Does it mean they have some kind of point system, and you are docked 10% if you have a low EFC? It’s hard to imagine the process that results in “90% need-blind,” at least for me.</p>
<p>Consolation, we have (what I consider) a low EFC, and my son was accepted. Carleton had the smallest amount of loans in its FA package of all his accepted schools, and that amount went down to almost nothing after his NMF money offset it.</p>
<p>My guess is that since they say they’re “90%” need blind, they only start looking at ability to pay (or lack thereof) with a small number of applicants. With those on-the-cusp apps, need or having an embarrassment of riches may be the tipping factor.</p>
<p>As I’ve seen it explained for the class of 2010, if Carleton were completely need-blind it would have changed a relatively small number (about 1/17th) of all students acceptances. As Limner says, these were the “on-the-cusp” applicants and intentially spread out across all EFCs - those with both large and small need. Overall, seemingly little statistical impact. Hope this helps.</p>
<p>Thanks, limner and 1190, that makes sense…although one would think that it would disproportionately affect low income students and URMS, if the conventional wisdom regarding test scores and so forth is correct. Which leads me to suspect that the folders of URMs, at least, probably find their way to a pile that is not subject to such scrutiny.</p>
<p>My understanding is that it means they pick their entire class need blind, and then if that class comes out over budget, they will make adjustments to “on the cusp” cases to get back within budget (but they will not adjust more than 15% of the original choices regardless of budget). Again, just how I understand it.</p>
<p>Starting in the fall of '08, Carleton is reducing loans for students whose families earn less than $75k/year:</p>
<p>[Carleton</a> College: Carleton News: Carleton in the Media: President Oden Quoted in Star Tribune Story About Carleton’s New Scholarship Program](<a href=“http://apps.carleton.edu/news/carleton_in_the_media/?story_id=390677]Carleton”>http://apps.carleton.edu/news/carleton_in_the_media/?story_id=390677)</p>
<p>[Carleton</a> College: Carleton News: News: Carleton Announces New Access Scholarship Program](<a href=“http://apps.carleton.edu/news/news/?story_id=391275]Carleton”>http://apps.carleton.edu/news/news/?story_id=391275)</p>
<p>Just got our 3rd tuition increase letter from Carleton. Make that over $48,000.00 per year. Or financial aid package has NOT met this increase. Our experience has been very different from those posting here. Frankly, the replies sound like they are coming straight from the administrator’s office at Carleton. Carleton is no longer need based blind and, as far as this middle class family is concerned, has become a school for only the very wealthy.</p>
<p>ProudMary, I understand your frustration. College costs can be frustrating–heck, even harrowing. We got that same letter yesterday, although my husband said something about a corresponding increase in grant money making up for the increase in our case.</p>
<p>The Carleton students and parents posting on this thread can only post about their own experiences, whether they’re good or bad. I assure you that I’m not affiliated with the college. As for Carleton becoming a school only for the wealthy, unfortunately, that’s the trend for almost all private liberal arts colleges. As JustLouise posted above, Carleton is attempting to ameliorate some of its students’ financial burdens.</p>
<p>Carleton has raised tuition beyond reasonable limits. When my daughter applied it was$32,000.00. When she was accepted it was $36,000.00. In our 3rd year it is $48,000.00. In the last two increases our grant increase was minimal at best. How is it that Carleton is attempting to ameliorate the student’s financial burdens?</p>
<p>Carleton does indeed have many individuals from wealthy backgrounds, but as others mentioned, this is the trend of almost every single highly selective private college or university in the country. But in the entering Freshman class this year of 512 students, the profile shows that at least 107 of them have family incomes of 75k or less per year. I know that financial aid operates on a case by case basis, but I can just say that, during my time at Carleton, the annual increase in my financial aid was comparable to the increase in tuition. Although my loans (along with my grant) did increase a bit every year, this is the nature of student loans at every institution I’m familiar with.</p>
<p>$48,000 is not just tuition - that includes room and board, whereas the other amounts you cite are tuition only. </p>
<p>Wouldn’t it be nice if we could “lock in” college tuition when our students enroll?</p>
<p>The other amounts are not tuition only. They also included room and board. That’s $32,000 to $48,000.00 in 3 years! Other private colleges haven’t had anywhere near the increase that Carleton has. Why is this site so passive about that? And again my question is what are those things that Carleton is doing to ameliorate the student’s financial burden?</p>
<p>The 2005-2006 comprehensive fee (tuition plus room and board) was $40,467. What three year period are you referencing?</p>
<p>Iam referencing the fee at her time of application, which would have been the fall of 2004.</p>
<p>he 2005 Princeton review puts the carleton comprehensive fee at $34,392.00.</p>
<p>I would guess that represents '04-'05. My figures are from child’s actual -05-06 bill.</p>
<p>Would you not agree that $14,000.00 in 4 years is a huge increase? And again my question is what is that thing that Carleton is doing to ameliorate the student’s financial burden?</p>