<p>Do colleges use their large merit scholarships to lure top students away from schools that don't give merit? </p>
<p>In other words, if a college as two ivy caliber students, one who would receive generous aid at an elite school and one who would have to pay full freight, would they be more likely to give it to the more affluent student? </p>
<p>My thinking is that the affluent student would be more likely to accept since it would make the college much more affordable compared to the elite where they may not get aid. Whereas for the high need kid, the scholarship may just make it equal to the need based aid. </p>
<p>Basically, how much do colleges that have high dollar competitive merit scholarships use them as an enrollment management tool? </p>
<p>I’m not sure what difference it makes. I suppose there are strings attached to both of them. With merit, you generally need to keep your grades at a certain level. With FA, a big change in income for the better might adversely affect aid. </p>
<p>As far as giving merit to wealthier kids, I suspect that is often the result in the variable tuition pricing scheme we have today. Who knows what any given college will do with any given student? </p>
<p>Schools give out financial aid and merit award in many different ways, and there are different types of awards even at the same schools. Yes, there are merit awards that Admissions is free to give to lure their most desired students. To give out those awards to those student who will be getting a lot of financial aid, particularly at schools where need is full met is using up the merit money in the admisissons pot, when that amount could be coming out of the financial aid pot.</p>
<p>Also, if not done carefully, it can get families upset. A student cannot get federal aid other that PELL without paying EFC, So all federal aid becomes a wash. Also most schools do not allow stacking of awards,with students getting more than the COA. But when a school gives a merit award, and a fin aid package and the student/family sees the aid package diminish, it often causes hard feelings. So it’s best to make sure that is cleared up and the integration of merit/need takes place in house.</p>
<p>Still there are merit awards sometimes given despite the student eligibility for other aid, and integration does have to occur since on the federal level and sometimes even state, one cannot get financial aid without the need and merit money reduces need. Some schools do allow stacking internally–they have no control over federal and state rules, however. And most are loathe to lose out on government money because they gave out merit awards. </p>