Need-Blind vs. Need-Aware
When applying to college, many students look for colleges that fit their interests, whether it be anywhere far from their parents, research opportunities, multiple sports teams, and so forth. Many parents, however, look for colleges that t their economic interests and supply substantial financial aid packages. While looking at prospective colleges, many students and parents alike may have stumbled upon the words “need-blind” and “need-aware”, but what do these phrases actually mean?
Need-Blind vs Need-Aware
When a college is need-blind, it means that when deciding who gets admitted, the college does not look at a student’s financial need as a deciding factor. This means that you could get in whether or not you are able to afford the tuition without financial aid. Need-aware, also known as need-sensitive, is the opposite. It is when admission officers consider the extent of financial aid needed as a factor into admissions decisions. Typically, schools that have larger endowments are able to afford need-blind policies while colleges that may struggle with financial issues often implement need-aware policies.
Pros and Cons
If you do not want your financial status to get in the way of being accepted into your desired college, need-blind admissions may be for you. This allows for applicants regardless of economic background to be considered equally, giving reassurance to students with little money. In addition, need-blind schools generally provide significant financial aid to students with “demonstrated financial need”; some even meet 100% of that. Keep in mind that 100% of your “demonstrated financial need” does not mean your tuition is free. It simply means that the college will supply whatever part of the tuition you could not afford in term of scholarships, loans, grants, etc.
A common misconception is that institutions that implement need-aware policies often leave intelligent low-income students out of the game. While need-aware can provoke a negative connotation, it may actually be beneficial to certain students. Having a need-aware admissions policy helps students applying for financial aid because they are able to receive better packages at these colleges than at a need-blind school. In addition, it is important to remember that many schools that have need-aware admissions only implement it for part of their incoming class, meaning that a majority of prospective students will be considered on a need-blind basis. Colleges do this so they can provide better financial aid opportunities for everyone. In addition, some schools do not have substantial financial aid packages which results in you having to pay a big chunk of your actual admissions cost when admitted. This is upsetting if you end up not being able to afford the college, so some students actually prefer need-aware policies to need-blind.
While there are advantages to having admissions be need-aware, it obviously could also negatively impact the changes of admissions for those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. Admissions staff will notice the financial needs of students, increasing the chances of rejection, which is not the case with need-blind admissions. So, if there is one spot left in the college, and an admissions officer is presented with two students that are equally qualified but one has way more money, that student will have an edge. This, in turn, may also negatively impact the diversity at these schools, making it a majority of one race.
Regardless of what type of system a college implements, applicants will still be primarily assessed on their academics, SAT/ACT test score, extracurriculars, recommendations, essays, etc. That means that no unqualified student would be accepted simply because he or she has a lot of money. That being said, students should pay attention to what type of admissions system a college has in order to accurately assess their chances of admission. If you are applying for financial aid, be aware of if your favorite schools have full-need, some-need, and if they o er other forms of financial aid such as scholarships, grants, and loans.