<p>Under the heading of learn from my mistakes:</p>
<p>S is a pretty high achieving member of the class of 2009 (3.6 uw after jr. year, 4.59 weighted, 34 ACT). Was denied merit money at semi-flagship state school that became safe school du jour at his high school and 6 students with higher gpa applied. Was told that if he had gotten money elsewhere, they might have matched it.</p>
<p>Frankly, I was shocked. But the moral is, have your S or D apply to a less selective school where he/she can get full tuition, and then use the offer as a bargaining chip (it may or may not work). No, I don't much like it either, but that appears to be the way that the game is played.</p>