Hi everyone. I've been doing well in school and I'm hoping that will translate into merit aid for college. On the flip side, I want to avoid colleges that are known for giving the least merit aid. Any specific colleges in mind?
Sure, some colleges are definitely more generous with merit aid than others. Colleges that don't give merit aid at all include Ivy League schools and most other highly selective institutions like MIT and Stanford. This is because their admission is so competitive that they don't need to attract students with merit scholarships. Instead, they focus on providing need-based financial aid.
On the other hand, there are many great colleges known for being generous with merit scholarships. Some of these are University of Southern California, Tulane University, University of Alabama, and Vanderbilt University. They have significant merit-based scholarship programs for high-achieving students.
Of course, there's a wide range in between these extremes, and many colleges allocate some amount of merit scholarships. Some schools are known to give smaller amounts of merit aid to a greater number of students. Others award larger amounts, but to a more limited number of students—often those at the very top of the applicant pool.
Remember that merit scholarships are typically awarded to students who stand out in the applicant pool, so it can be a bit strategic to consider the average profile of admitted students at each college. If your academic credentials are well above the average for a given school, you'll likely have a better shot at receiving merit aid.
Hope this helps, and best of luck in your search!
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