While I'm sure there are some exceptions, I also get the feeling after DS applied to some of those schools that the big merit awards are not meant for most UMC children -- probably as it should be. Emory, in particular, is pretty clear that in order to remain need blind, they admit much of their class ED, have increased international enrollment, and very "strategically award merit aid."

Anonymous wrote:Top 20 has a certain meaning when you are talking about colleges, right or wrong--Top 20 National (USNWR). Not a biggie, just confusing to use the term when you are talking about generous merit aid which doesn't exist at that level.

USNWR has two national rankings, one for universities and one for LACs. "Top 20" could refer to either of these.

Of the USNWR top 20 national universities, only Chicago, Duke, Johns Hopkins, Northwestern, Rice, Notre Dame, Vanderbilt, Wash U, and Emory offer merit aid. Cal-Berkeley offers merit aid, but virtually all of it only to California residents.

MIT does *not* offer merit aid. https://sfs.mit.edu/undergraduate-financial-aid/types-of-aid/mit-scholarships

Of the USNWR top 20 LACs, only Wellesley, Claremont McKenna, Davidson, Washington and Lee, Smith, and Grinnell offer merit aid.

(Note: Some of the top 20 universities/LACs may offer "national merit scholarships" to students who are national merit scholars based on their standardized test scores. These one-time (first year) scholarships are typically $1000-$2000.)

Anonymous wrote:Both Vanderbilt and WashU are top 20 and give large merit awards.

Large in $ amount but small number of "big" scholarships.

Both Vanderbilt and WashU are top 20 and give large merit awards.

Top 20 has a certain meaning when you are talking about colleges, right or wrong--Top 20 National (USNWR). Not a biggie, just confusing to use the term when you are talking about generous merit aid which doesn't exist at that level.

No, actually you are missing the point. First of all, the poster whose son was awarded the merit aid at Grinnell said top 20 college, which implies a SLAC, not a top 20 "National Ranking," whatever you mean by that and I don't even care. Secondly the fact that you are splitting hairs over what "top 20" means further proves my point about how unbearable people on DCUM/this area can be.

LOL. You are not any better. You are one of us after all...

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

Positive it was not FA. Grinnell.

Grinnell is a fine school but not top 20 school, right? top 20 LAC maybe...

Ahh, the joys of DCUM. Someone contributes to the topic of the thread and other posters immediately need to doubt, put down and otherwise demonstrate what makes living in this area unbearable at times.

You are missing the point. Getting a merit scholarship from (Nationally Ranked) top 20 is a completely different ballgame than getting one from top 20 SLAC. PP used "top 20" which implied National Ranking, not SLAC ranking.

No, actually you are missing the point. First of all, the poster whose son was awarded the merit aid at Grinnell said top 20 college, which implies a SLAC, not a top 20 "National Ranking," whatever you mean by that and I don't even care. Secondly the fact that you are splitting hairs over what "top 20" means further proves my point about how unbearable people on DCUM/this area can be.

Anonymous wrote:

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.

But it does give out crazy amounts of financial aid. 33% of the freshman class is tuition free. 56% get need based aid. The average amount of need-based aid is $43,000

http://web.mit.edu/facts/tuition.html

That is good to know! Thanks!

If you're reading DCUM, you won't quality for anything need-based.

Sincerely,
<$200K HHI in the doughnut hole of need/merit aid

Not true

Sincerely,
<$130K HHI and getting $20K/yr

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

But it does give out crazy amounts of financial aid. 33% of the freshman class is tuition free. 56% get need based aid. The average amount of need-based aid is $43,000

http://web.mit.edu/facts/tuition.html

That is good to know! Thanks!

If you're reading DCUM, you won't quality for anything need-based.

Sincerely,
<$200K HHI in the doughnut hole of need/merit aid

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

Positive it was not FA. Grinnell.

Grinnell is a fine school but not top 20 school, right? top 20 LAC maybe...

Ahh, the joys of DCUM. Someone contributes to the topic of the thread and other posters immediately need to doubt, put down and otherwise demonstrate what makes living in this area unbearable at times.

You are missing the point. Getting a merit scholarship from (Nationally Ranked) top 20 is a completely different ballgame than getting one from top 20 SLAC. PP used "top 20" which implied National Ranking, not SLAC ranking.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

Positive it was not FA. Grinnell.

Grinnell is a fine school but not top 20 school, right? top 20 LAC maybe...

Ahh, the joys of DCUM. Someone contributes to the topic of the thread and other posters immediately need to doubt, put down and otherwise demonstrate what makes living in this area unbearable at times.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

But it does give out crazy amounts of financial aid. 33% of the freshman class is tuition free. 56% get need based aid. The average amount of need-based aid is $43,000

http://web.mit.edu/facts/tuition.html

That is good to know! Thanks!

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.

Yes, as PP said, *with a few exceptions*.

And the other PP was pointing one of them out.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

Positive it was not FA. Grinnell.

Grinnell is a fine school but not top 20 school, right? top 20 LAC maybe...

It is a top 20 SLAC.

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.

Johns Hopkins offers merit scholarships to 20 students each year. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hodson_Trust_Scholarship