<p>I don’t think it works that way. I know when my S turned down a good merit scholarship, what we found out is that they offer more than they have, knowing some will be turned down.</p>
<p>I think all schools calculate how much they can offer in both merit and need based aid with the understanding that a fairly predictable amount will be turned down. </p>
<p>In any case, at this point, it wouldn’t be money students could apply for.</p>
<p>as far as local scholarships, in our town, and many others I believe, the majority have a need-based component which students assume precludes them applying for them. Additionally, most were community service based, not academic. The “top students” were rarely awarded them. The prevailing feeling was “they will go for free wherever they get in.” (LOL…) We scoured the list the school sent home, and at the time, felt most didn’t apply to S (though the situation changed when it was too late). In any case, all scholarships went to someone, so money wasn’t just left “lying around.”</p>