<p>@TopTier “ALL merit scholarships require application, essays” sorry but that’s just blatantly false. CWRU gives merit scholarship money with your acceptance that is based on nothing but your application. My full tuition scholarship came with my acceptance (I had to audition since it was music based). This is just one, but there are a ton, in fact that is true at most colleges. These automatic consideration merit scholarships are sent out with your acceptance. There are special scholarships like what you are describing, usually named, that you must apply for, but these are a small subset of the merit aid offered at most schools.</p>
<p>Different schools do different things. Some schools require students to compete for merit dollars by separate application. Other schools require students to meet a certain application deadline to compete or receive automatic merit money. It varies among schools. However if a school has a specific deadline and you miss that deadline you are out of luck. Schools have this information on their websites.</p>
<p>You have to look at the school. For example, The College of New Jersey says: “Early Decision students will be given the same consideration for scholarships and need-based financial aid as those applying General Admission.”</p>
<p>If a college is known for not giving merit aid to ED students, then less students will apply ED…so they still need that “pot sweetener” </p>
<p>I agree that OP needs to check college websites. A lot of the ones my D has looked at specifically say that scholarship apps need to be in by Nov or Mid Nov.</p>