<p>I’m trying to not make this specific to my situation, but in my case, money isn’t so tight that I’ll need to attend community college or get fee waivers, but my family can’t pay for very much of the college cost. I will qualify for very good financial aid from any college that meets 100% of need.</p>
<p>I’ve read that thread about merit aid before, and it’s very helpful. But should a person seeking merit aid apply to a bunch of colleges? And what level of college gives me a realistic chance of getting aid? Some schools that give merit aid only give a few worthwhile scholarships (match schools), but I don’t want to go to a local state college when I can get financial help for something better.</p>
<p>In doing my own research, I’ve also found that it’s worthwhile to analyze the state of your family’s assets long before filling out the FAFSA. In my case, my parents have money placed in such a way that it will create a falsely high EFC. Even if it costs money to move assets, it may end up saving the family money in the end.</p>