<p>We need some recommendations for some top schools that are NOT need blind for admissions…in other words…which top schools might take a “very good student” (who isn’t a “top stats” student) because he can pay “full freight”?</p>
<p>My nephew can pay “full freight” anywhere - yes, anywhere and his money is SAFE. He has good grades 4.3 at a good private HS, but his ACT is only a 29 (after taking a couple of times and SAT was lower - he’s a dedicated student, he’s just not a fast reader during the standardized testing so his scores suffer a bit.). </p>
<p>He is also an Eagle Scout - became one in the 8th grade…and continued with the post-Eagle program. He has some other extracurriculars…varsity sports, volunteering, etc.</p>
<p>His older bro is at a top 20 U, and he also wants to go to a top school, but his ACT will hurt him at “need-blind” schools. Which top schools aren’t “need blind” so they might accept him since he can pay “full-freight”?</p>
<p>Your recommendations can include Top 100 National Schools or other top LACs or other top schools. He plans to major in math, but that could change. His strongest subject is math.</p>
<p>He is willing to go anywhere in the US. Money is NOT a problem at all.</p>
<p>okay first of all do your research before you decide what a bad ACT score is. if you look at all the ranges in the country the only “top schools” that dont have a 29 ACT as part of their middle percent is Harvard,Yale,MIT,Caltech and like one other.
A 29 ACT is in no way a deterring facotr. you need to step back and redefine you’re looking strategies. being able to throw money at the school is always good, but if the stats are high enough, a need blind admissions process wont hurt your nephew.
just do your research before you post.</p>
<p>Many schools that state they are “need blind” are actually “need aware” but you must also make them “aware” of the fact. Many endowments have dropped substantially due to the stock market decline so it may also be possible to uncover who can use a full ride qualified student. They don’t want students leaving just because of any sudden change in finances. From what I’ve heard through the grapevine not needing FA is equivalent to about 100 points on the SAT’s and at least a point on the ACT’s. (Check out BC, Bucknell, Colgate, Emory, Georgetown, Lehigh and Tufts.)</p>
<p>Boston College is need blind as is Georgetown. Emory has gobs of money, so I don’t think finaid counts there either. Colgate and Tufts are need-aware.</p>
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<p>Uh, no. Emory’s 25th % for matriculants is a 30. Ditto Vanderbilt.</p>
<p>I think it would be quicker to go about the research backwards. Here’s a link to Wikipedia’s list of need blind schools. If a school is not on the list, then the college is need aware. I am guessing that state universities are need blind too.</p>
<p>Please don’t put words in my mouth… I never said that a 29 ACT is a BAD score.</p>
<p>My nephew’s concern is that his brother had an ACT 34 and was accepted by a top 20 school, but that his own score will make him less appealing. Therefore, he wants to try to “hedge his bets” by applying to a few schools that aren’t need blind. </p>
<p>If he could apply to 20-30+ schools, then it probably wouldn’t be a problem, but he probably is going to limit his apps to about 10-12 schools (including some UCs), so he would like to target his choices to some schools that want some kids who can pay.</p>
<p>Thanks a bunch! State schools might be “need blind,” but they aren’t “full need” as the below list includes - not that that matters for our purposes…</p>
<p>But, you’re right…now we can “work from reverse” to get a list!</p>
<p>The following schools state they are need-blind and full-need:</p>
<p>Amherst College
Beloit College
Boston College
Brandeis University
Brown University
California Institute of Technology
Claremont McKenna College
College of the Holy Cross
Columbia University
Cornell University
Cooper Union
Dartmouth College
Davidson College
Denison University
Duke University
Emory University [3]
Georgetown University
Grinnell College
Harvard University
Haverford College
Knox College
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Middlebury College
Northwestern University
Phillips Academy (9-PG)
Pomona College
Princeton University
Rice University [4]
Roxbury Latin
Stanford University
Swarthmore College
University of Chicago
University of Miami
University of Notre Dame
University of Pennsylvania
University of Richmond
University of Rochester
University of Southern California [5]
University of Virginia [6]
Vassar College [7]
Vanderbilt University
Wake Forest University
Wellesley College
Wesleyan University
Williams College
Yale University</p>
<p>Good to know that “not needing money” might be like scoring 100 more SAT points at some schools. </p>
<p>We aren’t concerned that nephew has “bad test stats” (as someone here suggested)…we know that his stats would fit in the “mid 50s” at most schools…but we also know that 1000s of students in the mid 50s get rejected all the time.</p>
<p>We’re trying to put together a good list of “reach/match” (and two safeties) schools where he’d likely get (hopefully) 2-3 “reach/match” acceptances, so he’ll have a choice.</p>
<p>So…are Georgetown and Emory “need aware” at all? Are their endowments big enough to be totally “need blind”?</p>
<p>I guess Boston College must be “need blind”…Gov. Schwarzenegger’s daughter was “wait-listed” at BC…you’d think BC would have wanted a Arnold/Maria child there.</p>
<p>^^There is no way that Emory or Georgetown are need-aware. OTOH, Emory is BIG on demonstrated interest, so try to visit and show them the love. ED would be a big plus.</p>
<p>I’ve never heard of a school pulling candidates out of the rejection pile because they are full-pay, unless we’re talking about “development” admits. Among schools in the top 100, it appears that some (such as Bowdoin, Middlebury, or Brandeis) try to restrict need-awareness only to wait-listed, transferring, or international students. Others (apparently including Tufts, Oberlin, Carleton and Lawrence) may apply need-awareness to borderline candidates, the last N% of those being considered, after the financial aid budget has been committed. This may amount to only a tiny fraction of the pool.</p>
<p>From the Wikipedia article on “Need-Blind Admission”:
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<p>It strikes me as an odd strategy to look for schools where your kid is likely to fit the borderline category. I mean, aren’t there enough other significant factors to think about without trying to thread this needle? In your shoes I’d focus on finding appropriate reach and match schools without regard for finaid policies. You’re very fortunate that you don’t have to worry about money and that your child has excellent grades. Have you identified some top test-optional schools? Bowdoin, Middlebury (if Subject test is submitted), Wake Forest, etc. </p>
<p>Does anyone know anything about Santa Clara? Is it need-blind or need-aware? I keep hearing both ways…I’ve heard that it is “need blind,” but based on who got accepted and rejected last year, some think that Santa Clara is (or has become) need-aware.</p>
<p>Oh, I don’t mean a situation where a student has been “rejected,” but then admitted because of $$. I mean a situation where a student might be in the “consideration pile” (because they have the stats), but then might get moved to the “accepted pile” because he/she can full-pay.</p>
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<p>I’m not sure what you mean by this…I realize it’s an unusual strategy…my nephew is in a somewhat unusual situation - able to pay full-freight anywhere. I think he’s concerned that he doesn’t have a unique enough “hook” at need-blind schools. </p>
<p>Please don’t misunderstand…He will apply to some need-blind schools, but he doesn’t want to end up with just “safety” acceptances if that can be avoided by ALSO applying to some reach/match schools that are need-aware.</p>
<p>Frankly, I think the fact that he made Eagle Scout the summer before his 8th grade is quite an accomplishment (and that he’s continued in the post-Eagle program), but I think that he’s concerned that altho he’s done Varsity sports in HS, it may look like he hasn’t done much lately.</p>
<p>There was a school this year (can’t remember the name, but hit the news) where adcoms were told to pull 100 FA students out of acceptance pile and replace them with full pay students.</p>
<p>I don’t think any school is ever need blind, otherwise how could they always hit their target of X% of student on FA. It is just during better years, those schools are more flexible with % of FA students they could take, but in this kind of economy they probably will lower the %. Full pay students will have an advantage at any school. If he wants top schools below HYPSM, ED maybe the way to go.</p>
<p>I do agree with oldfort in that NO selective school is truly need-blind – they can’t be as long as they expect impressive ECs for admissions. It takes $$ to swim, dance, be in the school theater, participate in MUN road trips or mathletes, etc… However, I do believe that financial need is not a factor for those schools that claim that they are need blind. It’s just that having an after school job is probably not as “impressive” as being Student Body prez , all-league lacrosse player and volleyball player, AND Yearbook editor (as was our Val who is off to Harvard).</p>
<p>Note, Reed and Tufts were not officially need blind, but have been able to practice need-blind admissions over the past few years. But not last year.</p>
<p>mom: I think your nephew’s gpa is strong enuf for Santa Clara, Gonzaga, USF, USD, Redlands, Pacific and a bunch of other private colleges out west. Being full pay may be a small plus, but it probably won’t much matter.</p>
<p>^^^ Reed has never been truly need-blind. Prior to 2003, Reed admitted on a need-blind basis, but didn’t (couldn’t afford to) provide the needed aid to all of those admitted. Starting with the class admitted in 2003, Reed openly became need-aware, but began meeting 100% of need. In 2007 over 100 acceptances were affected by the need-aware policy, in 2008 around 60, this year well over 100 (yield is about 30%).</p>