Due to the federal funding cuts to higher education, I’m wondering if the ability to pay is going to be an advantage at some schools? I’ve heard rumblings of this on a couple of podcasts recently. Thoughts?
It’s already an advantage at all schools in my opinion. Others will argue, not the need blind. But look at some need blind schools like Brown, Georgetown, USC, where well over 50% are full pay.
Why ? I believe, either the overall cost scares people away or some kids don’t have the counseling or resources to know that they are worthy of applying or how to apply. Or perhaps it’s marketing - why did Chicago and Wash U send my daughter late app waivers - when she was never on a list. Did they send them to the non wealthy zip codes to?? I don’t know - it’s just something I wonder.
That said, I agree with your hypothesis - that some need blind may have to drop to need aware - at least those who have endowments that are dicey. At a minimum, I think you’ll see % of full pay go up - schools will market themselves specifically to certain wealthy areas while ignoring other areas.
That’s how I see it anyway.
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Maybe for a few schools that are need blind, meet all financial need but don’t have a bottomless endowment. How many of those are there?
Most schools are need blind. Many of those give some merit or need based aid, but not enough to cover 100% of need without loans (or even with loans). If those schools can give less because of cuts, they may need to adjust their acceptance rates because some students who are admitted may not be able to afford the school with the amount of aid they are awarded so they move on to another school. It may take some years for the schools to figure out where that sweet spot is or how many to accept with the amount of aid they have to give. I think they will remain need blind for admissions.
Some current need blind schools that meet 100% of need may switch to Need aware, or as some do now, need aware off the waitlist.
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Obviously every school ultimately has a budget to balance.
We know some are increasing full pay tuitions by unusually large percentages, so that is one tool they can use. Then there are apparently signs some may be adopting less generous need formulas. And then finally a college that does not promise to meet 100% need in the first place can reduce how much it actually offers some students regardless of calculated need.
I note the last two things would tend to have the practical effect that fewer students with a lot of need will yield. And if they have a sophisticated yield model, they might well be able to model this effect on top of the direct effects.
Colleges could also cut merit aid, or International aid, if they have those.
Then finally there are other ways for colleges to target higher net tuition amounts without Admissions actually knowing individual need status, such as by using proxies like legacy status, or possibly even ED.
So between all this, will any colleges that currently claim to be need blind switch to being need aware?
My guess is most will find a way to meet their budgets without having to do that. But we’ll see how bad it gets.
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There is little doubt that being full pay will be an increasing advantage and that more schools will become need aware.
The first reason is that college applications will begin to decline in the coming year as the number of high school graduates declines for the first time in years.
The second reason is because the number of international students is likely to decline and the only question is, by how much? This is a particularly big issue because international students are full pay in much higher numbers than are domestic students. Colleges have to replace that revenue somehow. They can either replace the international students with full pay students from somewhere else or they can raise costs for everyone. The result will likely be a combination of the two, but there is little doubt that full pay applicants will have increased leverage.
I heard a news story yesterday about the decline in rentals and increase in cancellations for Air B&B’s and other venues in Jersey City. One owner whom they intervieee explained that they get a lot of international travelers because of their easy access to Manhattan and the lower prices. “they’re not coming here for our scenery, as nice as it is,” she said tongue in cheek. This is just one of many stories that we’ve come across, indicating that foreigners are avoiding the U.S.
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not really, very few are need blind – about 115
A Guide to “Need-Blind” Colleges + List of US Need-Blind Schools or All 116 Need-Blind Colleges in the US: A Complete Guide · PrepScholar (not saying these are perfectlly updated lists, it probably isn’t exact but I am going for rough numbers.)
There are thousands of univerisites
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Actually - most are need blind. The article is clearly not using every college.
Think of your local, directional, state or secondary state type university - they don’t factor need into their decision making.
So the article is wrong in title or description.
In other words, whether you apply to UNLV, SE Missouri State, or Indiana U, they’re not taking your finances into account. Therefore, they are need blind.
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As always, PrepScholar provides inaccurate information.
Their list includes only schools that are both need-blind and meet full financial need. However, there are thousands of schools (including pretty much all public schools) that do not consider financial need in admissions decisions but also do not guarantee to meet need.
So yes, the vast majority of colleges are need-blind.
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Colleges may do other things besides changing from need blind to need aware:
- Reduce financial aid and scholarships.
- Change to a less generous “need” calculation when claiming to “meet need”.
- Adjust admission criteria to favor correlates of less financial aid need, such as legacy, SAT/ACT scores, expensive extracurriculars, prep school attendance.
- Adjust admission criteria to reduce weight of correlates to higher financial aid need, such as first generation, achievement in context of limited opportunities, etc.
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The list you posted is not accurate. Almost all public universities, community colleges, are need blind. They don’t coordinate financial aid and admissions. There are far more than 115 colleges where the admission folks don’t know the financial need of applicants. Most colleges don’t care…because they don’t meet full need for all anyway.
Re what will happen in the future…I have put in a request for my crystal ball…and magic wand. So far, neither have been granted.
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Trivial examples are all of the open admission community colleges, of which there are many more than 116.
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Hmm, ok. I wil look more into to it, but that has never been my understanding for private schools
Yes, private may be different. But the article says all schools and even includes some publics on the list. So I think that’s the different interpretation.
Of course even if a school is need blind, then it’s a question of (for those with need), do they meet need ?
And for what percent do they meet need. Almost all Ivies and NESCACs say that they are not only need blind for admission, but they will meet 100% of need for anyone who is admitted. It is the fact that they combine the two which np makes them exceptional.
I don’t know if the majority of private schools are need blind or need aware…but the majority don’t meet full need. So, if a school is need blind and doesn’t meet full need, well, that doesn’t necessarily seem like a benefit to a student who has financial need.
As others have said, the vast majority of publics are need blind.
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Interesting that 100% means different out of pocket costs at different schools though - so how they define need is also different. But yes many do assure to meet - and often schools you wouldn’t realize, like Sewanee or Miami or F&M or Denison and even Thomas Aquinas - so beyond what people might expect.
Also, some give grants only while others require loans and /or work study.
Even amongst the meets need, it’s 31 flavors - like Baskin Robins.
Good points. Ivies and NESCACs only give grants. No loans. Some others too. So, you hit the nail in the head with that one.
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This isn’t entirely accurate. Penn and Conn College may include loans in their FA packages. (I don’t have in my brain the policies of all Ivies and NESCACs wrt packaging loans, so there may be more.)
More importantly, any student who attends these schools can take federal direct student loans and/or parent plus loans if they file FAFSA.
Lastly, it’s important to note that many people can’t afford/don’t want to pay what a given meet full need school might calculate as the family’s expected contribution. So some people may still choose to access loans (or attend elsewhere.)
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not entirely true. Penn and Conn College may include loans . . .
I’m aware if that, which is why I said “almost all Ivies and NESCACs.” What you quoted as at that point a quick shorthand. Sorry about that.
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One of my kids when to a private school, definitely need blind (her acceptance came before any FA forms were filled out). Didn’t guarantee to meet need, but they did their best to do that for us.
Other kid went to a public school, also need blind. Also did their best to meet need (but couldn’t for OOS students) and made no promise to do so.
There are hundreds of private schools. They aren’t all meeting full need and don’t promise to. Many are accepting all qualified students, hoping those students will attend and pay tuition.
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