I’ve recently heard that it is harder to get a scholarship from a university or college when you apply early, is this true?
That wasn’t our experience. Many of my DD’s schools actually had early dead lines for merit scholarships that required EA applications. Plus many of the schools that practice binding ED are need blind.
Many schools that offer merit based scholarships use the early action deadline, or at least that was my daughte’s experience at the schools she applied to.
I have heard exactly the opposite - some schools give out scholarships until the money runs out, so the earlier you apply the better.
Our experience was the opposite when we looked at schools that offered merit aid. If merit aid is offered on a rolling basis, it is to your advantage to be in the front part of the line unless you expect imminent changes in your status that would make you a stronger candidate. This may also be the case in schools that have more limited financial aid resources where less money may be available for candidates further back in the line.
Maybe what you heard is that it may be disadvantageous to apply Early Decision if financial aid is a concern because you are bound to attend that school if accepted. In those situations, you have less leverage with that school on the FA package especially vs a situation where you have multiple acceptances and financial aid packages to shop against each other.
Depends what you mean by “scholarship” and it depends what you mean by “early.”
If by “scholarship” you mean a merit scholarship unrelated to your financial need, and if by “early” you mean early action, the answer is no. Applying early action (which is non-binding) can only HELP you. If you are talking about “scholarship” based on financial need (usually this is called a grant), applying early action cannot at all hurt.
If you are talking about early DECISION, which is binding, and you are talking about a MERIT scholarship unrelated to financial need, then you are largely correct. Almost all merit money is offered to induce you to select that college. If you are applying early DECISION, the college does not need to offer incentive to you because by virtue of applying ED, you have already committed to attend if accepted.
In addition, ED should not affect financial aid based on financial need. You would get the same financial package as you would have received from the same college if you had applied regular decision. However, before you commit to applying ED, you must run the net price calculator to see the estimate of financial aid you’d get.
Do you mean by applying ED?? We’ve seen some merit with ED admissions, but the argument is that schools may not feel the need to offer.
Or do you mean applying early at schools with Rolling Admissions? At schools with Rolling Admissions, the advice is Apply EARLY in the app cycle because of scholarship deadlines or money running out.