Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DD got lots of merit at schools she didn't want to go to.

This was our experience. DC had the stats for top schools. No merit aid offered anywhere. But two colleges reached out to her because she had the stats, ACT scores that they wanted to raise their rank. They buy the lists they want from ACT and College Board and then solicit those students who have something they want. But they were colleges you've never heard of and didn't offer anything in DC's intended major.

With a few exceptions, "top" schools don't offer merit aid.

Last month my DS was offered $30,000 a year in merit aid from a top 20 college so a few do offer it.

Are you sure it was not FA? Merit from top 20? I'd like to know which school if it was really merit.

Positive it was not FA. Grinnell.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DD got lots of merit at schools she didn't want to go to.

This was our experience. DC had the stats for top schools. No merit aid offered anywhere. But two colleges reached out to her because she had the stats, ACT scores that they wanted to raise their rank. They buy the lists they want from ACT and College Board and then solicit those students who have something they want. But they were colleges you've never heard of and didn't offer anything in DC's intended major.

With a few exceptions, "top" schools don't offer merit aid.

Last month my DS was offered $30,000 a year in merit aid from a top 20 college so a few do offer it.

Are you sure it was not FA? Merit from top 20? I'd like to know which school if it was really merit.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DD got lots of merit at schools she didn't want to go to.

This was our experience. DC had the stats for top schools. No merit aid offered anywhere. But two colleges reached out to her because she had the stats, ACT scores that they wanted to raise their rank. They buy the lists they want from ACT and College Board and then solicit those students who have something they want. But they were colleges you've never heard of and didn't offer anything in DC's intended major.

With a few exceptions, "top" schools don't offer merit aid.

Last month my DS was offered $30,000 a year in merit aid from a top 20 college so a few do offer it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DD got lots of merit at schools she didn't want to go to.

This was our experience. DC had the stats for top schools. No merit aid offered anywhere. But two colleges reached out to her because she had the stats, ACT scores that they wanted to raise their rank. They buy the lists they want from ACT and College Board and then solicit those students who have something they want. But they were colleges you've never heard of and didn't offer anything in DC's intended major.

With a few exceptions, "top" schools don't offer merit aid.

Last month my DS was offered $30,000 a year in merit aid from a top 20 college so a few do offer it.

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Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:My daughter got $40,000 ($10,000 a year) at University of Florida. We were Florida residents so she also got the Bright Futures Scholarship. She was a National Merit Scholar finalist. She graduated last year and is teaching in DC! I have a son at Univ. of Colorado. $8,000 a year merit. I have another at Ole Miss. Full ride.

Nice!

Thanks Those three were our easy kids. We have one that enlisted in the Air Force right out of high school. We are super proud of her. She wasn't a great student, but she has turned out to be a really good Airman. We're hoping she'll be more ready for college when she gets out. The military will pay which is nice. Our youngest wants to go to MIT. He had better pray for merit aid.

MIT doesn't award any merit aid.

You'll learn when you've done this as many times as I have - There is a ton of scholarship money out there. Merit aid doesn't always come from the school.

Outstanding link. Debunks a lot of rumors and myths. Thank you

I have two in college and one applying this year. Most merit scholarship money is awarded by schools themselves. This is a fact.

http://www.thecollegesolution.com/seven-things-to-know-about-scholarships/

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DD got lots of merit at schools she didn't want to go to.

This was our experience. DC had the stats for top schools. No merit aid offered anywhere. But two colleges reached out to her because she had the stats, ACT scores that they wanted to raise their rank. They buy the lists they want from ACT and College Board and then solicit those students who have something they want. But they were colleges you've never heard of and didn't offer anything in DC's intended major.

With a few exceptions, "top" schools don't offer merit aid.

Last month my DS was offered $30,000 a year in merit aid from a top 20 college so a few do offer it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DD got lots of merit at schools she didn't want to go to.

This was our experience. DC had the stats for top schools. No merit aid offered anywhere. But two colleges reached out to her because she had the stats, ACT scores that they wanted to raise their rank. They buy the lists they want from ACT and College Board and then solicit those students who have something they want. But they were colleges you've never heard of and didn't offer anything in DC's intended major.

With a few exceptions, "top" schools don't offer merit aid.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DD got lots of merit at schools she didn't want to go to.

This was our experience. DC had the stats for top schools. No merit aid offered anywhere. But two colleges reached out to her because she had the stats, ACT scores that they wanted to raise their rank. They buy the lists they want from ACT and College Board and then solicit those students who have something they want. But they were colleges you've never heard of and didn't offer anything in DC's intended major.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Pretty much every college outside of top 40 gives really generous merit awards. This is why I don't understand parents bitching about college costs. Like sorry, I guess you should have made your kid earn more As and prepped for the SAT instead of six day per week travel sports, iPhone & Netflix all day.

In many cases, in-state is still cheaper.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thus far, my DD has received merit aid offers from:

Miami (OH) - $58,000
University of South Carolina - $78,000

Stats; 3.56 GPA, IB Diploma, ACT 31, SAT 1420

Those were her two safety schools, but I'm not saying money is not going to be a deciding factor in the end, esp. since Mom just said she wants a divorce.

Thank you for sharing this data. Can anyone else share similar info?

Anonymous wrote:Thus far, my DD has received merit aid offers from:

Miami (OH) - $58,000
University of South Carolina - $78,000

Stats; 3.56 GPA, IB Diploma, ACT 31, SAT 1420

Those were her two safety schools, but I'm not saying money is not going to be a deciding factor in the end, esp. since Mom just said she wants a divorce.

Anonymous wrote:Pretty much every college outside of top 40 gives really generous merit awards. This is why I don't understand parents bitching about college costs. Like sorry, I guess you should have made your kid earn more As and prepped for the SAT instead of six day per week travel sports, iPhone & Netflix all day.

Anonymous wrote:Pretty much every college outside of top 40 gives really generous merit awards. This is why I don't understand parents bitching about college costs. Like sorry, I guess you should have made your kid earn more As and prepped for the SAT instead of six day per week travel sports, iPhone & Netflix all day.