One part of the admissions process that confuses many students and their families is dealing with financial aid. Some students are concerned that their application will be penalized if it appears that they are seeking financial aid. If this is a worry, they should review whether their target schools practice 'need blind' admissions in one form or another. In addition, there are other students who are challenged by the affordability of college and who actually want financial aid. Both sets of students will find this article useful. Some schools practice 'need blind' admissions. They ensure that the admissions office and the financial aid office do not share information.