And some of the need aware schools are only partially need aware. They admit the majority of the class need blind but consider need for the last 10-20% of the class. A student applying for aid isn’t at any disadvantage if they’re among the top 80-90% of the class but they may be if they’re in that last slice considered, particularly if they need very substantial aid. As calm said, that’s how they control their budget. They make sure their budget will allow them to cover full need for every student they admit.
Schools don’t all compute need the same way. In the “NY College Recommendations For a Junior???” thread schools the claim to cover full need came up with packages with EFCs that range from $3K to $14K (Thanks to @Dustyfeathers for all the research.)
http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/discussion/comment/21135421#Comment_21135421
As a New Englander I find Northeastern’s meteoric rise amusing, although it makes sense to me. I grew up in the Boston area I can say that Northeastern used to be considered one step up from a vocational school, with its “strange and practical” co-op arrangement. These days families want to make sure their kids will come out of college employable and they’re slavering over co-ops and internships. Kids from the top prep schools are not just applying to, but choosing to attend, NE.
Two other Boston-area schools that have risen in reputation are Bentley and Babson. Bentley College (now Bentley University) used to be a school anyone could attend. You could want into admissions with a transcript full of Cs and be attending accounting class the next week. Now its admissions rate is 42%. Babson’s entrepreneurship programs are very, very hot.