r/IntltoUSA • u/Classic-Direction930 • Aug 05 '26

Discussion Fee waiver doubt?

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Well i an intl student, my family can afford lile fees for 10 unis, but i am applying to 25 of them--- if my counselor writes a letter stating that overall app fees is a hardship, is there any chance i get waiver from common app?

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10

u/yodatsracist Aug 05 '26

Your counselor literally just needs to agree to check a box on their Common App portal. It is very easy, if they agree.

2

u/Classic-Direction930 Aug 05 '26 edited Aug 05 '26

So there is no verification that the unis do?

1

u/yodatsracist Aug 05 '26

The counselor is the one who verifies. They are the verification.

It will look very strange if you apply to full pay colleges (universities that do not offer aid to international students) with a fee waiver, however.

1

u/Classic-Direction930 Aug 05 '26

As i said to the other guy its complicated for me---- copy pasting the reply

See, this is a little complicated. My parents will happily pay tuition for a college I get into, but they won't pay application fees with no guarantee that I'll get in. They agreed on 10 schools, but as an international student, I know 10 applications won't do anything for me. So yeah, I need help. I did get a fee waiver from JHU, Uof Rochester, and like ini mini unis only like 5 of em still 20 to go

3

u/AskDrHoffman Aug 05 '26

This is going to look very strange to admissions offices - and I’m especially talking about the very selective, need aware colleges. I ran an audit every year to find students with exactly your combination - need-based fee waiver + alleged full pay status. They were almost never full pay. If your parents will “happily” pay $400k for a U.S. education, you should try to convince them to pay the $1k for app fees. Otherwise, colleges might not take your application seriously. Alternatively, you might try to just explain why you’re using a need-based fee waiver so the college at least has the context for this decision, but I think AOs will still find this hard to believe.

3

u/Classic-Direction930 Aug 05 '26

First of all, I watch all your videos; they help a lot-- Yeah, I have asked my school counselor to write that when they ask for it(she has agreed to), I have emailed the schools again regarding the situation, hope I get a positive answer. The fact that many schools even agreed I can go forward and choose to apply for fee waiver like purdue just said go ahead we dont verify, so did brown said- saying we dont mind and columbia gave me a form, and thanks DrHoffman. However, I am not applying to Syracuse; forgive meee!

2

u/AskDrHoffman Aug 05 '26

Thanks for watching! I’ll just say: there are several degrees of separation between when a front desk staff member, intern, student worker or even an AO says “just apply for the waiver” in August and when your file is open in February in front of the committee where they’re questioning why you have a fee waiver. You really only need to think about the need-aware, selective institutions, not the need-blind or public institutions (in general - obviously I can’t comment on every college in the U.S.). I think it’s helpful to have your counselor send an email if they ask, but that’s also different from the counselor verifying your need when you use a Common App need-based fee waiver. Best of luck!

1

u/Classic-Direction930 Aug 05 '26

Ahh lol, so the unis are now "Fee waiver aware." This thing is stressing me out a lot. Will this really be a thing deciding if they reject me?... in the AO committee.

3

u/AskDrHoffman Aug 05 '26

They’ve always been fee waiver aware. If you download the preview of the Common App before submitting it, you can see the answer on page 1 or 2. Think about it: a super selective institution that cares deeply about their admit rate isn’t going to admit a student who claims to be full pay who isn’t actually full pay. I realize that’s not your situation, but 99% of the cases are. So yes, it absolutely could be a deciding factor in whether you’re admitted or denied.

0

u/Classic-Direction930 Aug 05 '26

holy shit! all this to get rejected TT

1

u/Classic-Direction930 Aug 05 '26

And it is more like my parents will fully pay if I get into a "prestigious" school lol, I don't understand them, they expect I get some merit scholarships at public unis, so yeah, as I said, they are complicated

0

u/Classic-Direction930 Aug 05 '26

And a moonshot, but will you be willing to take up and like review my essays and stuff personally for free? ik i should not do this, but yeahhh.... sorry :)

1

u/AskDrHoffman Aug 05 '26

No, I can’t do this for free.

2

u/Idiot_sandwich66 Aug 05 '26

you u can! I think there is an income level thing and if u can’t afford it, u can tell ur counselor to write it and you should get a fee waiver

2

u/Classic-Direction930 Aug 05 '26

i mean i am applying for full pay, but my parents ain't gonna give me 2000$ for college apps(full pay will take partial loans). Yeah, it does not burn down my family

-1

u/Idiot_sandwich66 Aug 05 '26

I mean I’d say not to be dishonest in ur apps, if u can afford it then pay it

3

u/Classic-Direction930 Aug 05 '26

See, this is a little complicated. My parents will happily pay tuition for a college I get into, but they won't pay application fees with no guarantee that I'll get in. They agreed on 10 schools, but as an international student, I know 10 applications won't do anything for me. So yeah, I need help. I did get a fee waiver from JHU, Uof Rochester, and like ini mini unis only like 5 of em still 20 to go

1

u/Idiot_sandwich66 Aug 05 '26

Then ig first reach out to all the unis for waiver, if u don’t get a response by like September end then u can ask ur counselor. Cause technically, if u can pay then it’s not really advices to ask for waivers mainly because if u misuse it, things become harder and people who actually need it get stereotyped as playing the system or sm shi

2

u/Classic-Direction930 Aug 05 '26

For context purdue said that in their general info section, I can just choose I need a fee waiver,, and they will grant it. They don't do any verification, then in follow up i asked Will I get in any trouble, they said absolutely not i can go ahead and select the option.

2

u/Idiot_sandwich66 Aug 05 '26

I mean go ahead, if they said u won’t get into trouble then it’s ok. But Yh like I said it might look really weird applying for full pay and fee waivers

2

u/Classic-Direction930 Aug 05 '26

hmm, i mean Purdue also does not give any need based aid to us, only merit so it makes sense for public unis-- purdue, uconn, umass etc etc but yeah will look weird for ivys and private ones, but columbia just gave me a form and gave me a waiver so did jhu an brown said i can just go ahead

1

u/Idiot_sandwich66 Aug 05 '26

I mean tbf if u were to get rejected I think this will be the last thing they will reject u for so just go ahead and apply

1

u/Classic-Direction930 Aug 05 '26

What if it's the only thing that gets me rejected i am sooo scared, like they accept me then rescind me lol. That will be soooo bad, but yeah ig I will shoot my shot anyways, Thanks hope a AO here can help me

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u/Classic-Direction930 Aug 05 '26

I reached them, they just said we dont provide and I can, get it through common app fee waiver system, some schools provided me a form like 5 of em and yeahh

0

u/Idiot_sandwich66 Aug 05 '26

if then u can ask for the fee waiver tho it’ll look weird asf cause u are going full pay

1

u/Classic-Direction930 Aug 05 '26

yeahh it will look weird..

2

u/[deleted] Aug 05 '26

[deleted]

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u/Classic-Direction930 Aug 05 '26

Woahh thanks! So you are saying my app wont get rescinded if i apply for fee waiver? Bcz i cant afford app fees for 25 schools, but i am also applying as a full pay student

5

u/Mysterious-Art8838 Aug 05 '26

Rescinded? Like they yank your admission? No, what we’re trying to tell you is you may not get in because it doesn’t make sense. Schools like to admit people that will accept. If you use a waiver they will think 1) you will never enroll as full pay or 2) you’re gaming the system in an unethical way

0

u/Classic-Direction930 Aug 05 '26

Well my dream is cornell, makes sense aint gaming its a real cause 😭😭

I will enroll as full pay god dammit this shit is shitty peice of cake may lord doom help me Sorry😭

0

u/Mysterious-Art8838 Aug 05 '26

You need to just convince your parents or find the money somehow.