Need-Based vs. Need-Blind

A growing number of colleges make their admissions decisions based on who can pay for their education, while other colleges assert that financial need has no impact on their admissions; meaning admissions decisions are made without reference to a student's financial aid request. When the applicant's financial need is not known to the committee at the time of the decision it is called ‘need-blind’ policy.

How Need Can Play a Role

The richest two, or three dozen, institutions faithfully make admissions decisions without considering need, but many others choose to leave the impression that need never plays a role in their decision, although sometimes it does. Some might admit the first 90% of students without regard to need and then weigh financial situation as a factor for the last 10%. Some schools, such as Bard and Albright College, have a need-blind admissions policy, but do not guarantee to meet the full demonstrated financial need of the students it admits.

Still more schools, like Tufts University, are actively pursuing a need-blind admissions policy but have not yet had the resources to fully implement it. In 2009, only one boarding high school, Phillips Academy, was need-blind; others like Phillips Exeter Academy stopped the policy due to the economic pressures. Roxbury Latin, a day school outside of Boston, is also need-blind. Most private universities cannot afford to offer financial aid to all admitted students and many will admit all students but cannot offer them sufficient aid to meet need

International Students and Need

An important thing to note is that need-blind polices usually apply to only American college and university applicants. International students often lose out in the financial aid game. Even schools that say “We are need-blind for everyone” will only admit international students with SOME ability to pay. There are currently only six U.S. higher learning institutions—five universities and one liberal arts college—which are both need-blind and full-need for all applicants, including international students. These are:

• Amherst College
• Dartmouth College
• Harvard University
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
• Princeton University
• Yale University

These schools provide extensive financial aid packages and will cover your need 100%. However, they also are highly selective and therefore the sooner you apply the better. If you do get in—although the standard for admissions will be higher—you generally receive very generous aid.