While many colleges and universities advertise that they are “need blind,” meaning that they do not factor potential students’ ability to pay full tuition into their admissions decisions, recent reports have shown that schools such as George Washington University (which is consistenly ranked one of the most expensive schools in the nation), may in fact take students’ financial information into strong consideration during the admissions process. George Washington University’s student newspaper, the GW Hatchet, first reported on the practice of the university giving preference to wealthier students in the final stages of the admissions process, and misrepresenting its admissions and financial aid data to increase its rank.
This week, the University’s undergraduate admissions page, which previously stated “requests for financial aid to not affect admissions decisions,” was updated to explain that financial need is not considered during the initial phases of the admissions process, but plays a role in the final decision.
Laurie Koehler, senior associate provost for enrollment management, said in a statement to ProPublica. “What we are trying to do is increase the transparency of the admissions process.”
In contrast to George Washington University, some colleges and universities have very publicly contemplated the pros and cons of need blindness versus need awareness. For example, Grinell College announced that after contemplating need awareness, it would maintain a need blind admissions process and provide merit aid to attract wealthier students. Wesleyan University, on the other hand, announced that it would no longer have a need blind label, and begin to consider financial need of students.
Matt Malatesta, vice president for admissions, financial aid, and enrollment at Union College, which practices need aware admissions, said in an earlier interview. “There are pluses and minuses on both sides of the debate. I’m not a believer that one is better than another.”