Need Blind vs Need Aware

Today I am going to tell you how Financial Aid may impact admissions at some colleges and dive into Need Blind vs Need Aware.

Some schools are what’s called “Need Blind”, which means the Admissions and the Financial Aid offices don’t speak. The Admissions office has no clue if you can afford this education when they decide to accept you. They send your information to Financial Aid to put together your award letter.

Other colleges are not ‘Need Blind’, those schools are “Need Aware”. This means that the Admissions and Financial Aid offices may talk and the ability to afford this education may be a factor in their decision. Although they want to create merit and need-based scholarships for students they want to attract and who need it, they also have an operational budget they need to meet. This is a combination of the students who can afford it to offset the students who can’t.

You filling out your FAFSA is a great way of showing colleges you have the money and this can increase your chances of getting in. Conversely, if you don’t have the money, it may reduce your chances of being accepted. It is better they tell your student ‘no’ than you do once the acceptance letter comes.

If you need more info on the difference between Need Blind vs Need Aware, don’t hesitate to reach out to us at 732-556-8220. We are here to help.