<p>Keep in mind that you are looking for TWO things. First, you want to be admitted. But second, you want an aid package that will be substantial. Refusing to meet the deadlines for aid materials as a way to improve your chances of admission has a certain Charlie Sheen “WINNING!” appeal…in that you might prove a point in your eyes, but you’re guaranteed to be the only one who suffers in the process.</p>
<p>If you need that much aid, you should send in your financial papers (a) on time and according to the schedule that they dictate instead of playing a game of “chicken” to test the theory whether they’re need-blind; and (b) earlier, rather than later, when they can be as generous as possible. While admissions is need-blind, there’s some degree of discretion involved as to how much aid they dole out. The earlier you enter the process, the less money they’ve already allocated to others. So, if you’re looking for a very generous, liberal grant of need-based money, why would you go out of your way to wait? So you can fight the stampede for scarce resources?</p>
<p>If you’re afraid that checking a box saying you’re applying for aid will doom your application to the shredder, you might not be such a strong applicant to begin with. In that case, focus on making your application stronger and spend less time concocting self-destructive ways to game the admission process.</p>
<p>If you do get accepted by playing your game, you might end up with a worthless acceptance letter when you learn that the aid is not as generous as you think you need it to be. If you don’t get accepted by playing your game or by following the rules, you can draw your own conclusions as to what doomed your application but you’ll just be guessing. And, if you do get accepted by playing your game and still get all the aid you requested, you’ll never know if the chance you took had anything to do with getting the acceptance letter. So, in short, you’re taking on a whole lot of risk with no demonstrable upside.</p>
<p>Admissions Offices and Financial Aid Offices – in general – are not playing some diabolically sadistic game where they’re figuring out ways to deny admission (or a chance to matriculate) to the students they want to enroll the following fall. My experiences with Vassar, specifically, all suggest that they’re among the most aggressive, in terms of admissions and aid, when it comes to digging deep to find justifications for getting the best students in the door and enrolled.</p>
<p>Try to develop an attitude of working with them instead of around them. In fact, if ED is in the cards for you, I recommend that you try to get an early read on your FA situation BEFORE you apply. Work with the FA office to see if they’re able to get into the ballpark you think you need to be playing in. If they can’t get there, you might want to look at ED somewhere else.</p>