Anyone know any colleges with generous merit aid?

Hey y'all! I'm in the midst of college search, and with college costs rising every year, I'm really aiming at universities that could provide me with generous merit aid. I'm thinking both private and public. Does anyone know any colleges that usually offer a good amount of merit aid based on academic excellence? Any shared experiences would be appreciated!

Sure, I'd be happy to point out a few schools known for their merit-based aid programs.

For private universities, the University of Southern California is known for offering significant merit scholarships to students with outstanding academic records. They offer several full-tuition scholarships such as the Trustee Scholarship, which covers full tuition and $5,000 in stipends. The University of Richmond also has programs, like the Richmond Scholars program, which covers full tuition, room, and board.

Tulane University is another private institution with a reputation for offering extensive merit-based aid. They offer both partial and full scholarships, such as the Deans' Honor Scholarship and the Presidential Scholarship. Vanderbilt University is need-blind and meets 100% of demonstrated need for all admitted students, but they also offer three signature merit scholarships: the Ingram Scholars Program, the Cornelius Vanderbilt Scholarship, and the Chancellor's Scholarship.

In terms of public universities, the University of Alabama is known for its automatic merit scholarships for out-of-state students, where a certain GPA and SAT/ACT score will qualify you for a certain amount of money, ranging from $6,000 to full tuition. The University of Arizona also has the Arizona Merit Tuition Scholarship program where students can potentially receive either full or partial tuition coverage based on their GPA and standardized test scores.

Keep in mind, the bigger the scholarship, the more competitive it is to earn. Also, deadlines for these scholarships can often be earlier than the regular decision deadline, so make sure you check the specific dates for each scholarship at each university. It's a good strategy to apply to a mix of schools with different levels of selectivity. Good luck in your college search process!