How much should Admissions care?
Jake Obstfeld
Issue date: 4/22/09 Section: Class at Colby
When I was applying to colleges, way back in Bush's first term in office, one of the most important criteria to me was a need-blind admissions policy. For those new to the term, a need-blind policy is when the admissions office does not consider financial aid eligibility to be a factor in determining one's qualifications for enrollment. In other words, a poor but brilliant student would be much more desirable than a wealthy delinquent, even one whose parents promise to donate millions. This policy, I thought, would be a hallmark of a school that cared more about genuine education than about money. Colby was, obviously, one of the first on my list.
But Colby doesn't actually have a need-blind policy. Precious few colleges say they can afford one, even before the recent economic downturn. Among those colleges that do are super-wealthy institutions like Brown University or Williams College. Instead, according to a recent study by the National Association for College Admissions Counseling, Colby has what's called a need-sensitive policy. In this less financially draining version, the College considers financial need to be a factor in only a relative few of its applicants - less than five percent. These students might be on the waitlist or transferring in from another college.
Before this year's economy, Colby was very close to fully need-blind. In 2007, the school assessed approximately 96 percent of its applicants without factoring in financial need. In comparison, Bates College was need-blind for 97 percent of its applicants, while Bowdoin managed to be fully need-blind. This year, though, schools are expected to look at financial need for a higher percentage of applicants. Because of the obvious losses in endowments, as well as more families than usual requesting financial aid, colleges across the country will be looking for ways to accept less needy students. They can accept more students off the wait-lists or transfers. Colleges might also accept more students early decision, because those students statistically have lower financial need.
But Colby doesn't actually have a need-blind policy. Precious few colleges say they can afford one, even before the recent economic downturn. Among those colleges that do are super-wealthy institutions like Brown University or Williams College. Instead, according to a recent study by the National Association for College Admissions Counseling, Colby has what's called a need-sensitive policy. In this less financially draining version, the College considers financial need to be a factor in only a relative few of its applicants - less than five percent. These students might be on the waitlist or transferring in from another college.
Before this year's economy, Colby was very close to fully need-blind. In 2007, the school assessed approximately 96 percent of its applicants without factoring in financial need. In comparison, Bates College was need-blind for 97 percent of its applicants, while Bowdoin managed to be fully need-blind. This year, though, schools are expected to look at financial need for a higher percentage of applicants. Because of the obvious losses in endowments, as well as more families than usual requesting financial aid, colleges across the country will be looking for ways to accept less needy students. They can accept more students off the wait-lists or transfers. Colleges might also accept more students early decision, because those students statistically have lower financial need.
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