<p>Well, JHU and Cornell have rather similar overall admit rates, but JHU makes it clear that it is “need-sensitive” for int’l applicants, while Cornell says it’s need-blind but doesn’t guarantee full demonstrated need for int’l applicants.
So the question is, two int’l kids with the same credentials apply to JHU and Cornell respectively, both having EFC of about 25K-30K(that’s me HAHA), who has a better chance of getting in? Any hope that either of them will get in with full demonstrated need?</p>
<p>Cornell or JHU??? </p>
<p>If you don’t have a clear idea for the situation of poor Int’l kids, then you can assume this question is targeted at domestic application…</p>
<p>Your chances of acceptance would likely be higher at COrnell. Though really, it’s not all that simple. WHat majors at JHU and what school at Cornell? Premeds and Bioengineering majors have a tougher go than, say German majors at JHU. Yes, there are kids accepted at both schools that have need, need higher than yours, but they have to have something that the schools really want. It’s a crap shoot in many ways, and there is no telling as it depends on what a school wants any given year, and what the applicant pool is like that year. Also, how mcuh money is in the pool that year, and how heedy the applicants are that year.</p>
<p>Indeed, “crapshoot” summarizes it all… phew, “so crappy”…</p>
<p>The thing is, there’s still no way to tell if the “need-sensitive” admission is actually a disadvantage(kids richer than me will get in) or privilege(kids worse off than me won’t get in)… </p>
<p>I’ll be applying to engineering departments at both schools, but since you said JHU’s BME is a tough one, I’m actually considering applying @JHU undecided. (I don’t know if it’s a good idea, but a post on cc from 2004 says it’s virtually impossible to transfer to BME sophomore year. Anyway, I’ll start a post about this on JHU’s forum)</p>
<p>It is not 100% true that you can’t transfer into BME but, as a practical matter, consider it true. They certainly say that you can’t transfer in. But, in the unlikely event that enough freshmen BME majors switch out of the program to make a spot available, and if you take a number of the same/similar courses your freshmen year and you perform well in them, there is a slight chance you might be able to talk your way in. It has happened but is quite rare. But I certainly wouldn’t adopt it as a stategy.</p>
<p>As far as financial aid is concerned, I don’t think you can draw any conclusion from the fact that Hopkins is “need aware” for international students and Cornell is need blind but gives FA preference to Americans. If you can’t attend without significant financial aid, gaining admission with little or no aid is rather a Pyrrhic victory. The problem you face is that both schools will get plenty of applications from well qualified international students who don’t need financial aid. Frankly, many schools use these students’ resources to underwrite American students with demonstrated need. That is not to say that international students aren’t awarded financial aid; they are but the awards are generally not as generous as similarly qualified American students will recieve.</p>