<p>Which colleges are strong academically and offer good financial aid packages?
Thanks!</p>
<p>Alot - you will have to be more specific in what you are looking for in a school.</p>
<p>Strong in several arenas (like Upenn), especially in life sciences. By "good" I mean, top tier schools such as the Ivies, top LACs, etc.<br>
Is there really a lot? I heard that Ivy League schools weren't all that generous with aid, and the other schools I'm considering right now (WashU, UM, Amherst, Duke) don't appear to dole out large sums either.</p>
<p>Just because a school might not have a less than 20% acceptance rate doesn't mean it is not strong academically.</p>
<p>The best schools in the Country tend to be those with the highest endowements and best aid if You're talking need based. The best for merit aid are usually thouse just below the ivies trying to steal ivy admits such as WUSL, Vandy, Duke, Emory.</p>
<p>given your title, I think you're looking for merit aid. suze is right; the top schools don't need to offer merit aid, they get all the bright candidates they need (and turn lots away). Its the next tier, as suzy points out, that will offer merit aid to try to raid the top schools.</p>