Why don't most of the top LACs offer substantial merit scholarships?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We were happy to allow Grinnell to “buy” our daughter. She turned down Carleton and Williams & Mary for a generous merit aid award even though our income at the time was in the high six figures and we easily could have afforded any college she wanted. It helped that she preferred Grinnell anyway. Man, what a bargain.

Grinnell is a great school--and has an unusually large endowment and unusually undesirable location (distance-wise from large concentrations of qualified students that is--plenty of LACs have rural/small town locations) so they offer more merit aid than other similarly strong LACs.

Grinnell had an 11 percent acceptance rate last year. They’re getting plenty of applicants.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We were happy to allow Grinnell to “buy” our daughter. She turned down Carleton and Williams & Mary for a generous merit aid award even though our income at the time was in the high six figures and we easily could have afforded any college she wanted. It helped that she preferred Grinnell anyway. Man, what a bargain.

Grinnell is a great school--and has an unusually large endowment and unusually undesirable location (distance-wise from large concentrations of qualified students that is--plenty of LACs have rural/small town locations) so they offer more merit aid than other similarly strong LACs.

Grinnell had an 11 percent acceptance rate last year. They’re getting plenty of applicants.

Grinnell College utilizes binding ED 1 and ED 2 to increase yield and to lower rates of admission.

Grinnell gets lots of applications due to offering merit grant money to a high percentage of admits and because it is one of a very few schools which offers full need based financial aid to international applicants.

A few years ago, a Grinnell professor wrote a scathing criticism of the widespread abuse of alcohol and drugs on campus and the administrations acquiescence of such practices.

[Anonymous]

W&L offers Johnson Scholarships to the top 10% of students. It pays for of "at least tuition, room and board to attend Washington and Lee University. Students with financial need higher than this amount will have any additional need met by the scholarship." That has to be one of the most extensive and generous programs out there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We were happy to allow Grinnell to “buy” our daughter. She turned down Carleton and Williams & Mary for a generous merit aid award even though our income at the time was in the high six figures and we easily could have afforded any college she wanted. It helped that she preferred Grinnell anyway. Man, what a bargain.

Grinnell is a great school--and has an unusually large endowment and unusually undesirable location (distance-wise from large concentrations of qualified students that is--plenty of LACs have rural/small town locations) so they offer more merit aid than other similarly strong LACs.

Grinnell had an 11 percent acceptance rate last year. They’re getting plenty of applicants.

Yes, and the reason they are is because they are unique in offering substantial merit aid to many candidates, including international candidates. When you do searches on LACs they are at the top of offering merit + ranking. Many lower ranked LACs offer substantial widespread merit but none above them consistently do--nor do a good many below them. It's their formula for success, enabled by their large endowment and low COL area. But they wouldn't be as successful at attracting students without that smart strategy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We were happy to allow Grinnell to “buy” our daughter. She turned down Carleton and Williams & Mary for a generous merit aid award even though our income at the time was in the high six figures and we easily could have afforded any college she wanted. It helped that she preferred Grinnell anyway. Man, what a bargain.

Grinnell is a great school--and has an unusually large endowment and unusually undesirable location (distance-wise from large concentrations of qualified students that is--plenty of LACs have rural/small town locations) so they offer more merit aid than other similarly strong LACs.

Grinnell had an 11 percent acceptance rate last year. They’re getting plenty of applicants.

9.2% acceptance

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We were happy to allow Grinnell to “buy” our daughter. She turned down Carleton and Williams & Mary for a generous merit aid award even though our income at the time was in the high six figures and we easily could have afforded any college she wanted. It helped that she preferred Grinnell anyway. Man, what a bargain.

Is the political climate there tolerant? I always lump it in with Oberlin but perhaps I’m wrong.
My child is interested in Grinnell. Child has some reservations about the isolation factor. Is there a shuttle to campus from the airport? Is the closest major medical centre in Des Moines?

There is a hospital in town and University of Iowa medical center is an hour away.

It is not like Oberlin. Has a different feel.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Because they don't need to. They can pick and chose the best and the brightest to fill their classes, AND they have large enough endowments that they can offer admissions pretty much need blind.

Schools that are looking to raise their profile offer merit aid. These schools also often are need aware.

This. They don't have to. That's why you have to drop down a tier or two to get any merit offerings and that's usually only when your child has a particular something (URM, first generation, high GPA, high test scores) that the school wants in trade.

[Anonymous]

According to Bethesda Magazine’s charts, 4 out of 26 applicants from the schools they included were accepted to Grinnell. Only 1 out of 12 from BCC. But a great school if you can get in and get aid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:“You should put your kid through school. If you can afford it, why should someone else be paying your kid's way? The entitlement of those seeking out the best merit deals is so high on this board.‘

+2

Indeed. On another thread I responded that our family had decided not to seek merit aide, for the simple reason that we've been very fortunate and could afford it. One of the lovely folks here suggested that the money must have been an inheritance, and that I shouldn't tell people this because they would see me as an idiot.

The selfishness here is jaw-dropping.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We were happy to allow Grinnell to “buy” our daughter. She turned down Carleton and Williams & Mary for a generous merit aid award even though our income at the time was in the high six figures and we easily could have afforded any college she wanted. It helped that she preferred Grinnell anyway. Man, what a bargain.

Is the political climate there tolerant? I always lump it in with Oberlin but perhaps I’m wrong.
My child is interested in Grinnell. Child has some reservations about the isolation factor. Is there a shuttle to campus from the airport? Is the closest major medical centre in Des Moines?

There is a hospital in town and University of Iowa medical center is an hour away.

It is not like Oberlin. Has a different feel.

Would like to read your impression of each school (Grinnell & Oberlin) since you sense a "different feel" from these seemingly similar schools. Thanks in advance !

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Perhaps they are attracting the best and brightest through meeting their demonstrated financial need, with need-based scholarships?

You should put your kid through school. If you can afford it, why should someone else be paying your kid's way? The entitlement of those seeking out the best merit deals is so high on this board.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We were happy to allow Grinnell to “buy” our daughter. She turned down Carleton and Williams & Mary for a generous merit aid award even though our income at the time was in the high six figures and we easily could have afforded any college she wanted. It helped that she preferred Grinnell anyway. Man, what a bargain.

Is the political climate there tolerant? I always lump it in with Oberlin but perhaps I’m wrong.
My child is interested in Grinnell. Child has some reservations about the isolation factor. Is there a shuttle to campus from the airport? Is the closest major medical centre in Des Moines?

There is a hospital in town and University of Iowa medical center is an hour away.

It is not like Oberlin. Has a different feel.

Would like to read your impression of each school (Grinnell & Oberlin) since you sense a "different feel" from these seemingly similar schools. Thanks in advance !

Oberlin is a bit larger (in a noticeable way) and is politically more intense. Students seem more intense. Grinnell has more of a midwestern vibe and Oberlin has a lot of New Yorkers. Grinnell is very focused on community. Oberlin is a good school but IMHO they have different vibes.

I don’t want to out myself but we are very familiar with both schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We were happy to allow Grinnell to “buy” our daughter. She turned down Carleton and Williams & Mary for a generous merit aid award even though our income at the time was in the high six figures and we easily could have afforded any college she wanted. It helped that she preferred Grinnell anyway. Man, what a bargain.

Is the political climate there tolerant? I always lump it in with Oberlin but perhaps I’m wrong.
My child is interested in Grinnell. Child has some reservations about the isolation factor. Is there a shuttle to campus from the airport? Is the closest major medical centre in Des Moines?

There is a hospital in town and University of Iowa medical center is an hour away.

It is not like Oberlin. Has a different feel.

Would like to read your impression of each school (Grinnell & Oberlin) since you sense a "different feel" from these seemingly similar schools. Thanks in advance !

Oberlin is a bit larger (in a noticeable way) and is politically more intense. Students seem more intense. Grinnell has more of a midwestern vibe and Oberlin has a lot of New Yorkers. Grinnell is very focused on community. Oberlin is a good school but IMHO they have different vibes.

I don’t want to out myself but we are very familiar with both schools.

Thank you for your response.

I have read student reviews of Oberlin sharing that political correctness affects every aspect of campus life.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We were happy to allow Grinnell to “buy” our daughter. She turned down Carleton and Williams & Mary for a generous merit aid award even though our income at the time was in the high six figures and we easily could have afforded any college she wanted. It helped that she preferred Grinnell anyway. Man, what a bargain.

Is the political climate there tolerant? I always lump it in with Oberlin but perhaps I’m wrong.
My child is interested in Grinnell. Child has some reservations about the isolation factor. Is there a shuttle to campus from the airport? Is the closest major medical centre in Des Moines?

There is a hospital in town and University of Iowa medical center is an hour away.

It is not like Oberlin. Has a different feel.

Would like to read your impression of each school (Grinnell & Oberlin) since you sense a "different feel" from these seemingly similar schools. Thanks in advance !

Oberlin is a bit larger (in a noticeable way) and is politically more intense. Students seem more intense. Grinnell has more of a midwestern vibe and Oberlin has a lot of New Yorkers. Grinnell is very focused on community. Oberlin is a good school but IMHO they have different vibes.

I don’t want to out myself but we are very familiar with both schools.

Thank you for your response.

I have read student reviews of Oberlin sharing that political correctness affects every aspect of campus life.

I don’t think that is true at Grinnell.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:According to Bethesda Magazine’s charts, 4 out of 26 applicants from the schools they included were accepted to Grinnell. Only 1 out of 12 from BCC. But a great school if you can get in and get aid.

+1 There are only 1750 undergrads at Grinnell, they really aren't going to accept that many from any given area.