<p>What are some schools with over 3,000 kids that give great merit and need based aid? There's been so much controversy over what schools give great merit OR need based aid...but what about solid combinations of BOTH?</p>
<p>I'll start with Vandy. Meets 100% of need and lots of merit scholarships. Caps off loans at ~20k.</p>
<p>How about some others? (Don't have to be as selective as Vandy)</p>
<p>Most schools that give merit aid also give need-based aid (I don't know of one that doesn't). So I'm not sure I understand your question.</p>
<p>Also, remember that merit awards start to affect student contribution (loan+work study) first then institutions own need based grants and then your family contribution.</p>
<p>Need based grants and merit awards are not additive.</p>
<p>The thing is, it depends on how much any given school WANTS a particular student. This affects the way their merit & need aid is packaged--whether it's mostly grants or mostly loans or some "gapping" that doesn't even cover the full cost of the student's college expenses.
If the student is in the top 25% of those accepted by the U, s/he is more likely to receive a preferential offer, with a higher amount of grant & lower loans. If the student is someone the U REALLY wants, they "sweeten" the offer by increasing grants & further decreasing loans.</p>
<p>Schools have specific rules about how merit & outside scholarships affect need-based awards. You need to check with each school for details.</p>
<p>GOB, you may want to search the posts of Curmudgeon. Actually, you SHOULD! </p>
<p>His daughter had stellar grades, EC, test scores (good enough for Yale) but needed a fair amount of merit aid. He spent a LOT of time compiling lists and refining his approach to a rarely seen level on CC. It really, really would help you to read his posts and the threads they generated.</p>
<p>Since you asked about names, one of the "easiest" to cite is Washington U, the school people call either WUSTL or a more affectionate WashU. Their brochure of merit aid is getting thicker and thicker. And, no, not the students!</p>
<p>But, again, you should follow Cur's path and it will help you a lot, a whole lot!</p>
<p>xig, I have had discussions with the OP by pm . The lists of schools have little overlap. Most of D's schools were under 3000. Most of our research was done on those schools. While I agree that our methodology would be helpful in assessing the OP's chances for significant merit aid and the impact of merit aid on need based aid , the actual lists we generated are not as helpful. </p>
<p>Case, USC, Miami, Tulane, Vandy, Emory, Furman, Davidson, WashU, Clemson, and Scripps if you consider the other Claremont schools (which I believe you should , especially if the student was a potential science major with the JSC) would be the only ones from D's longest list of possibles that would meet the OP's criteria.</p>
<p>And I think the OP wants fresh eyes to look at her chances. ;)</p>
<p>Well, we do love the OP :). But I do think she needs to formulate her list, based on all of the advice she's solicited and received. THEN come back for fresh eyes on her chances.</p>
<p>GOB, how are you coming on refining your list?</p>
<p>So that there's no confusion, what I was trying to say was that I don't think the OP cares to travel the road we followed. She has her own wants and desires. What appeals to my D may not appeal to her. I did not mean to say that the OP has been unreceptive to advice. If I left that impression, I'm sorry. :(</p>
<p>Oh, okay, got it, curm. No, I didn't think you implied she was unreceptive to advice at all. To be honest, I was repeating myself (GOB will recognize that, I think ;) )from another of her threads. </p>
<p>I think we have given her so much information, at her request, that I think she is going in circles with possible information overload and needs to take the deep breath..... do some analysis of school suggestions we've made, tips we've given on how to choose, and start the process of identifying her own list.</p>
<p>It needn't be a final list, but she needs to, imho, move from information overload mode into distillation mode.</p>
<p>Once we see where she is leaning, then we can help her a lot more.</p>
<p>Is what I was trying to say.</p>
<p>Some days it appears I need a translator. The other days it appears I need two - with one for the coming and one for the going. ;)</p>
<p>Regarding the proportions in the individual packages, is it not true that a college which commits itself to non-loans will apply that policy to all students with need? (including amounts of gap aid) If the U does not give a student a "full-ride," is it not possible that financial profiles are determinant, rather than the student's merit?</p>
<p>I would just be hesitant to conclude that a student not getting a full ride from such a school has been judged less meritorious than another student. I appreciate that for colleges which mandate some percentage of loans for every aid package (and it seems most colleges do), merit in those cases may determine the level of granted vs. non-loaned aid.</p>
<p>Rice and Mt Holyoke both fit in this category. At almost every need based school, however, merit scholarships offset need based grants.</p>
<p>To post #2, none of the Ivies give merit scholarships and they meet 100% of need.</p>
<p>One thing to keep in mind is that each school's determination of "need" & how they will meet the need (whether loans, loans & grants, or what) can vary. I don't believe Claremont schools offer much (if any) merit-based aid, but please correct me if I'm wrong.</p>
<p>jmmom is super! and ive wittled down my list...i guess? i took ohio u off cuz i could only really get the instate grant + 4,000 off the gateway chart and thats not much considering total OOS expenses are like 25k+. and its in the sticks of ohio and id never get in their super crazy selective honors program.</p>
<p>vandy appears to give great aid and fit me too so its pretty much my #1 right now. im also applying to:
UVA, UNC-CH, Delaware, Dayton, UScranton, U south carolina, suny geneseo and maybeeeee suny albany. hows this lookin?? where do u think id get the best aid?</p>
<p>Since you're a NY resident, you'll probably pay the least out-of-pocket at a SUNY, but never know until you get your apps & FAFSA forms completed & processed.</p>
<p>I think it looks like a good list, GOB. It seems like it has a balance of reach (or only slight reach?) schools, match and safety. It seems like there is good opportunity for merit aid. I don't happen to have any expertise on need-based aid, but like HImom says, you won't know where the best aid will come until you apply.</p>
<p>Good luck! Now you can focus on completing the apps and writing great essays.</p>
<p>Also, since some of the schools you list likely see the other schools on your list as competitors for quality students, that may help you have more leverage when you inform them of awards you're offered at various schools. They seem to generally pay more attention when the offer is at a school they consider comparable/competitive with them.</p>
<p>What about U of Rochester? Very good merit aid, good for sciences. But not too far from Buffalo.</p>
<p>how would they know what schools im applying to?</p>
<p>YOU can tell them about competing offers you receive when you're trying to see which of those you're SERIOUSLY considering will offer the best total package in terms of your education & your family out-of-pocket costs. Schools are very interested in other schools they consider comparable or "peer" institutions & more impressed with these than those they consider lesser or lower in terms of academics/quality of students.</p>