Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I think many schools give merit aid so you just need to apply and see. That is definitely a lesson learned when my last kid applies.

I think this is terrible advice. While it's true that many schools offer merit aid, there's no need to make your kid go through the hassle of applying just to "see" — the data is readily available before they apply. Look at the lists mentioned, then check the most recent CDS profile for each school to double-check. (Some online lists pull from outdated information.)
My well-qualified DC wanted to attend a SLAC, but we weren't willing/able to pay more than ~50K per year; therefore, they didn't apply to many of the schools they were initially interested in, including Reed, Vassar, etc., since those schools very clearly do not give any merit awards. We also discouraged them from applying to schools where less than 10% of students received merit aid — knowing that even though they were a strong applicant, the odds of receiving a substantial award weren't in their favor.

Anonymous wrote:Which LACs give a lot of merit aid, not only need-based aid. My DC has high stats but wants small classes, but we can't justify paying $70K a year for a small LAC and we won't qualify for any aid.

Ideally looking for $20+K in aid ... are there any LACs who provide $20K and more to high performing students? Can you share your experiences?

Anonymous wrote:Which LACs give a lot of merit aid, not only need-based aid. My DC has high stats but wants small classes, but we can't justify paying $70K a year for a small LAC and we won't qualify for any aid.

Ideally looking for $20+K in aid ... are there any LACs who provide $20K and more to high performing students? Can you share your experiences?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Which LACs give a lot of merit aid, not only need-based aid. My DC has high stats but wants small classes, but we can't justify paying $70K a year for a small LAC and we won't qualify for any aid.

Ideally looking for $20+K in aid ... are there any LACs who provide $20K and more to high performing students? Can you share your experiences?

The top LACs (T15ish) that are worth the 70-90k a year do not give merit broadly. A few give a very small number of true merit to very top kids. The ones that give lots of merit, ie more than 15% of the incoming class, are schools trying to buy students: they are in danger of not filling seats and the “merit” is really just a sale price as one does to move a less desired good at a store.
You are better off sending your student to the top school they can get into. If you do not qualify for beed based aid then you make at least 200k and can well afford the in-state flagship and if you had saved properly the 70-90k of a private.

I love you say you can just go to in-state flagship like it is a given. The competition to get into UVA from some of the NOVA HSs is brutal.

I also love how everyone says that on a board where so many live in the District and have no in-state flagship.

ODU and the $10k-15k credit offered by Congress OOS

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here's a list of the Top 40 National Liberal Arts Colleges (U.S. News), along with the Percent Receiving Merit Aid (Freshmen w/o Need) and Average Merit Award (Freshmen w/o Need) from the College Transitions (https://www.collegetransitions.com/dataverse/merit-aid).

CORRECTED LIST

Williams College — 0% — $0

Amherst College — 0% — $0

United States Naval Academy — 0% — $0

Swarthmore College — 0.01% — N/A

Bowdoin College — 2% — $1,000

United States Air Force Academy — 0% — $0

Claremont McKenna College — 8% — $23,300

Pomona College — 0% — $0

Wellesley College — 0% — $0

Carleton College — 2% — $15,761

Harvey Mudd College — 17% — $10,457

United States Military Academy — 0% — $0

Barnard College — 0% — $0

Davidson College — 3% — $41,262

Grinnell College — 23% — $26,154

Hamilton College — 0% — $0

Middlebury College — 0.2% — $5,000

Smith College — 4% — $23,348

Vassar College — 0% — $0

Wesleyan University — 0.1% — $20,553

Washington and Lee University — 4% — $59,826

Colgate University — 0% — $0

University of Richmond — 13% — $51,205

Bates College — 0% — $0

Colby College — 0.3% — $2,000

Haverford College — 0% — $0

College of the Holy Cross — 9% — $24,796

Macalester College — 36% — $18,937

Mount Holyoke College — 17% — $25,303

Bryn Mawr College — 17% — $5,438

Bucknell University — 9% — $19,010

Colorado College — 8% — $12,776

Lafayette College — 20% — $19,371

Denison University — 35% — $18,758

Franklin & Marshall College — 25% — $19,876

Occidental College — 29% — $17,397

Pitzer College — 2% — $7,000

Scripps College — 15% — $24,048

Skidmore College — 0.3% — $20,000

Soka University of America — 9% — $7,917

Spelman College — 3% — $25,840

Trinity College — 8% — $23,543

Trinity University — 50% — $27,801

https://www.collegetransitions.com/dataverse/merit-aid

It is still odd to me that the service academies are ranked with the SLACs. But since they are, the zeros are misleading. Each student not only gets free room and board but is paid to attend. As well they should be.

USNWR does grouping by Carnegie Classification and they are the academies are there because they lack graduate programs.