<p>I think they favor lower income more than middle class. </p>
<p>I told my daughter not to even apply to Harvard, Yale, etc because they only give out need based and not merit . Middle class or even upper middle class, esp in places where the cost of living is high --like bay area, southern Calif, NYC-- are at a disadvantage at these kinds of colleges.</p>
<p>Very few middle class or upper middle class can afford to pay the 43k plus living expenses on their own. . .no matter what the Finan aid calculator says.</p>