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<p>This is a really mistaken statement. Actually, only a tiny percentage of US universities are 100% need-blind in admissions for domestic students, and hardly any are need-blind in admissions for international students. (It may be limited to Harvard; I’m not sure.) Beyond maybe 30-40 universities and 15-20 LACs, need-aware in admissions is the rule, and many of those that claim to be need-blind are effectively pulling a con (see below).</p>
<p>It’s also not true that a college is either 100% need-blind or 100% need-aware. Obviously, most colleges that are need-blind for domestic students are need-aware for internationals. And this year, after endowment losses, Carleton designated something like 5% of its slots for need-aware admissions, so that 95% of the class was selected need-blind, but students with need that could only be met with college grants were essentially ineligible for the last 5% of slots.</p>
<p>Then there is meeting 100% of demonstrated need. Again, it is a thin layer at the top that guarantees to do this for all domestic students, and even then there are lots of differences in how they calculate demonstrated need, and lots of complaints. There are a number of universities that have putatively need-blind admissions, but then make substantive judgments at the financial aid level about how much they want a student to determine whether to offer full aid or not. That game is played a lot with international students, too.</p>
<p>Honestly, for international students, I think Chicago’s policy is fine – if they admit you, they will give you the aid you need. In deciding whether to admit you, they will look at their budget for international aid (all of that has to come from university funds, there’s no government help), and decide whether they want you enough to pay the price, but if the answer is “yes” you will be given the aid. That’s a great deal. It may be harder to get admitted, but if you are a strong student it’s a great deal.</p>