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<p>Really? When I spoke to the admissions officer when I was applying she specifically said that they don’t do merit-based aid. I wouldn’t believe your friends unless they’re as reliable as someone in the admissions office.</p>
<p>Barnard does not give merit aid. There ARE some grants available to continuing students for specific purposes – this is something that a student can apply for, and certainly can assist with finances. For example, my daughter received grant money her first year to fund a summer internship. I believe that there is also some sort of research stipend or grant given to Centennial scholars. </p>
<p>As to the article linked to from post #19 – the only one that would be applicable to Barnard aid is item #2 (future income as student resources) – and Barnard discloses the expected student earnings with their award to the student. The amount they expect the student to earn goes up slightly each year, but it won’t change from what they tell an incoming student. Because it is need based, the financial aid will change if financial circumstances change-- but the rules for calculation don’t change.</p>
<p>Barnard meets 100% need, as they define it. They calculate aid based on an assumption that the students will take out the maximum available subsidized Stafford loan amounts, but no more. They expect students to earn a set amount each year, including work study, but they disclose that amount clearly in their financial aid materials. </p>
<p>If a student qualifies for a Pell grant and it is reduced for reasons that are not related to Barnard’s overall determination of need, the Barnard grant will be increased to cover it. However, in most cases, the reasons for change in Pell eligibility are probably related to the need determination, so the recalculation of need may also impact Barnard’s determination. But if it was the situation posited in the article – budget cuts reduce the amount of available federal aid – Barnard would make up the difference. Barnard need based aid is also going to go up as needed to cover increases in overall COA.</p>
<p>See: [Budgeting</a> and Awarding Procedures | Barnard College](<a href=“http://barnard.edu/finaid/budgeting-and-awarding-procedures]Budgeting”>http://barnard.edu/finaid/budgeting-and-awarding-procedures) for more info.</p>
<p>I have to say that I am also very puzzled by this statement: </p>
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<p>What would have happened to the student if the “horrible” financial aid package wasn’t due to a mistake? or if the “mistake” had not been recognized and corrected within the time required to accept the ED offer?</p>
<p>No, Barnard does not give merit-based aid. Not unless something dramatic has changed since my d graduated in 2009.</p>
<p>There are summer internships and such, some of which offer grants (D was an Amgen scholar one summer, for example). But there is no merit-based aid, as such.</p>