If you’ve heard of need-blind admission but don’t know what it is, you’re not the only one. It is a term that is heard a lot when it comes to college, but what exactly is it? We’ve done the research for you and have provided all the information you need to know about this type of admission; how it works, who it applies to, and how to get it.
What is Need-Blind Admission?
This admission policy is usually decided on and adopted by schools and colleges on a yearly basis, though most schools who adopt this policy continue to do so. This type of admission is an easy-going policy that allows the school to not consider an applicant’s financial situation when deciding on admission. Essentially, the college will not consider your FAFSA or any other financial information when it comes to deciding on your admission. “Need-blind” schools judge applicants strictly on their merit and not their ability to pay.
When a school adopts this policy, there is typically an increase in students admitted under the policy, which means funding for financial aid usually increases. Usually if a school is “need-blind” they provide a significant amount of aid to students who have demonstrated the need for it through their FAFSA and other applications. If a school does not look at financial status when admitting students, they end up with more students needing financial aid.
Where can you find this Type of Admission?
There are very few schools that have this policy as a permanent one. Most colleges cannot afford to offer that type of financial assistance to all of their students. Some schools may even enter students on a need-blind basis, but will not guarantee them sufficient aid. Other schools offer this kind of admission only to select types of students, like international or transfer students.
Most schools that have a need-blind policy report meeting 100 percent of their financial need. Most of these schools that have reported this status are private schools, as pointed out by U.S. News. Yale and Stanford for example, are need-blind schools and have reported meeting 100 percent of financial need. There are very few public colleges who hold this policy and most that do are liberal arts colleges.
Why Choose a “Need-Blind” School?
If you’re sick of the bureaucracy of colleges and universities, a need-blind policy school is perfect for you. If you are admitted into these types of schools, it is simply because you deserve to be there and not because they know you can pay them.
These types of schools accept only the best of each batch, as they are more concerned with having the best students than being paid by them. Most of these schools also have a significant amount of funding and backing, which is obvious because they can afford not to worry about which students can pay for tuition and which ones can’t. If you want to be selected on your merit, a need-blind school is for you.
Your financial status shouldn’t matter when applying to great schools. If you want your merit to be judged instead of your wallet, need-blind admission schools are the perfect choice for you; accepting only the best students, whether they have the money or not.
See also: 50 Most Affordable Competitive Colleges and Universities 2017