International students, waitlisted students, transfer students and OOS students for some public universities are often excepted even at schools that say they are need blind. They often do caveat the need blind statement with those exceptions, sometimes they do not.
Many of the schools that are need blind don’t mention it on their website. If you call some of those schools, the reaction can be amusing. From asking what the hill is “ need blind” to “who doesn’t have need” to “does a bear go in the woods”. It doesn’t occur to a lot of these schools to be need aware. They aren’t going to sift through the applications figuring out who needs what until it’s time to talk about paying.
Also, some schools do not state they are need aware on their websites. I had to call and ask a few. I have no doubt that if I called enough, some would demur from an answer.
And sadly, yes, there have been schools, and well could still be schools that are not being forthright about their admissions policies.