He would still be putting himself at a massive disadvantage, financially speaking, if he disqualified himself from Federal aid programs. Most student financial aid is based on Federal money, in some form.
Plus a foreing student could get admitted based on a lower academic standard
I have no idea whether that's the case.
as could "minority" students in those days and until fairly recently.
Based on his racial makeup, he wouldn't have had to apply as a foreign student to qualify for affirmative action programs.
Things were different in ‘61. More non federal scholarships, except in engineering, math and science.
Far fewer Affirmative Action scholarships, I don’t think the term had been invented yet. Except to “historically black”, or “historically latino”. Schools. And there were so few of those that they got to pick and choose scholarship receipients. Thus no need for lowered standards.