Hello, I'm starting to look into scholarships and I've noticed that some are need-based, while others are merit-based. Am I correct in assuming that my family's financial situation won't impact my chances of receiving merit-based scholarships? How important is demonstrated need in this context? Thank you!
Hello! You're correct in thinking that merit-based scholarships generally focus on factors such as academic achievement, talents, and extracurricular involvement rather than financial need. While need-based scholarships take into account your family's financial situation, merit-based scholarships usually do not require you to demonstrate financial need.
That being said, each scholarship has its own specific requirements and criteria, so it's important to carefully read the scholarship descriptions and application instructions to ensure that you understand the qualifications. CollegeVine has an excellent blog post on merit-based scholarships which can provide you with more information: https://blog.collegevine.com/what-is-a-merit-scholarship/.
In summary, demonstrated need typically does not play a significant role in receiving a merit-based scholarship, but always check the scholarship requirements to be sure. Best of luck in your scholarship search!
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