Basically, I read that it is harder to get into a top tier school when you aren’t a URM and are low income. I am Asian but will need financial aid. Is that a disadvantage in the admissions process?
When schools say they are need blind (which the 8 Ivies are), that means they’ll evaluate you w/o regard to your ability to pay or your eventual need for fin aid. An argument can be made that better incomes = advantages such as test prep, more EC opps, intership opps, etc. – but simply b/c you apply for aid? No. Indeed 2/3 of Yale freshman receive Fin Aid as an example.
I’m asian and applied (and rec’d) fin aid many years ago. Didn’t hurt me at all.
The simple answer is that when a school is need blind your admission decision will not be impacted by the fact that you need financial aid. You need to check the policy of each school you apply to.