<p>@katydid - Franklin and Marshall offers some merit money. I believe (from when Frazzled D was looking) it is 15k for the most competitive merit grant, going up to 25k for a National Merit Finalist. This makes it a tad more expensive than Penn State Schreyer, but more expensive than Pitt for students getting full tuition. (I think they also throw a laptop into the mix, along with a research grant good for a summer.) A handful of students from our high school have taken them up on the offer.</p>
<p>From F&M’s website:
“Franklin & Marshall College distributes financial aid based solely on need. The College pledges to meet 100 percent of every student’s institutionally determined need for all four years. Half of our students receive some type of need-based aid.”</p>
<p>Yes, F&M recently stopped giving merit money (last year, maybe?). I even called and talked to them to confirm it, as it was on D2’s list. Took it off the list for that reason, since her stats are on the high end there. Might as well get some $ for it if she ends up at a match/safety.</p>
<p>I would agree - F&M was only even on our radar as a safety because of the merit money.</p>
<p>I have to wonder how many other schools have stopped distributing merit money on the past couple of years, though.</p>
<p>Well, none of the other 20 on D2’s initial list of schools (okay, only 17 of them are LACs). Every other one either gives merit or had not historically given it (and still doesn’t). F&M is the only one we have encountered that dropped it.</p>
<p>We did see a debate in the school paper at St. Mary’s College of Maryland (public honors college for Maryland, very LAC-like) when we were visiting last spring about whether the college should continue to offer merit aid, or move to strictly need based aid. At that time they were still offering merit aid, though.</p>
<p>These are small universities, but are LAC-like in terms of numbers of enrollees:</p>
<p>U of Rochester
Case
Wake Forest</p>
<p>Not sure about merit at Wake, but Case and U of R are good science schools and give merit.</p>
<p>Two of the three kids I know who applied to Rochester and were accepted–one of whom was my own–received 4-year merit scholarships in the $7K per year range. I don’t know whether the third got merit money: it is quite possible. The kids in question ultimately attended Harvey Mudd, JHU, and Dartmouth. I know that the stats of the two whom I know for certain got merit money were high for Rochester.</p>
<p>I also know that Rochester has some really large scholarships in the $30K range–the Renaissance scholars, IIRC–and I have the impression that these are mostly merit-based, but there may be other factors, such as diversity. The word was that in general Rochester wanted to feel the love if you wanted to be considered for the big scholarship, so at least a fall interview with the traveling adcom is advisable.</p>
<p>Sorry to be vague, but that’s what I know. Hope it helps. :)</p>
<p>Ursinus in Collegeville, PA offers very generous Merit Aid, and the college has been steadily on the rise in USN’s LAC rankings in recent years:</p>
<p>[Internal</a> - Financial Aid - Home](<a href=“http://www.ursinus.edu/netcommunity/page.aspx?pid=1309]Internal”>http://www.ursinus.edu/netcommunity/page.aspx?pid=1309)</p>
<p>[Arts</a> at Ursinus](<a href=“http://www.ursinus.edu/netcommunity/page.aspx?pid=2985]Arts”>http://www.ursinus.edu/netcommunity/page.aspx?pid=2985)</p>
<p>[Ursinus</a> | Ursinus College | Best College | US News](<a href=“http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/ursinus-3385]Ursinus”>http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/ursinus-3385)</p>
<p>Take a gander at the brand-spanky new Performing Arts Center</p>