Top colleges based on scholarship money for grades?

Could anyone suggest colleges that offer significant scholarship money based on grades? I'm looking to apply where my academic performance might translate into substantial financial aid.

Absolutely, colleges do often offer merit-based scholarships that take into account your high academic performance. Here are a few suggestions:

1. University of Alabama: This school is known for its automatic scholarships based on GPA and test scores. For instance, students with a 3.5 GPA and SAT score of 1330-1400 can receive $20,000 annually.

2. University of Southern California (USC): USC offers half-tuition scholarships - the Presidential Scholarship (approx. $28,000), and full tuition scholarships - the Trustee Scholarship, to high-performing students.

3. Boston University: BU's Trustee Scholarship covers the full tuition fee and is awarded to those with exceptional academic achievements.

4. Vanderbilt University: Vanderbilt offers three signature scholarships (Ingram Scholars Program, Cornelius Vanderbilt Scholarship, and Chancellor's Scholarship) that can cover full-tuition based on academic performance and leadership.

5. Tulane University: Tulane has several scholarships, including the full-tuition Deans' Honor Scholarship and the Paul Tulane Award.

6. University of Nevada, Las Vegas: has many scholarships based on grades like the Presidential scholarship which provides up to $11,000 yearly for in-state students and $8,000 for out-of-state students.

Keep in mind that these are highly competitive and you might be up against some of the top students in the country. Your application, including essays and recommendation letters, will also factor into these scholarship decisions. And remember to use the net price calculator on each college’s financial aid website to get a sense of what your financial aid package might look like, including both need-based and merit aid. Good luck!