<p>I've been toying with the idea of applying early to Smith, and I'm just wondering if my chances at getting merit based aid such as a STRIDE Scholarship or a Zollman Scholarship are reduced if I do so. </p>
<p>I am very adamant about applying ED to a school, getting in, and sitting pretty until June... but I also am adamant about receiving all of the opportunities I could if I applied RD and had colleges "compete," as it were. </p>
<p>I emailed the financial services office about this but will probably not get a response until the next century due to the "large volume of emails." </p>
<p>You can still get merit money, but it will more likely be in the STRIDE form than the Zollman form, since STRIDE is a more common form of merit aid, whereas the Zollman and Maples scholarships are a little bit more exceptional and they probably use them to sweeten aid packages for really outstanding RD students. Just an observation of mine, not supported by actual admissions data knowledge, but that's what I would assume.</p>
<p>S&P, I think you're correct, at least in that I believe Zollmans are by design trying to snag students whom they think might otherwise choose an Ivy or Baby Ivy, hence, "wasted" on an ED.</p>
<p>About the Mary Maples Dunn, I have no idea.</p>
<p>Fwiw, I had a very pleasant conversation with one of the folks in Student Financial Services yesterday, who wasn't completely out of her mind, which, given the time of year, I consider remarkable. </p>
<p>Cost/Financial Aid is my least favorite thing about Smith...but in general, at least the people are good to deal with, not that you always get the answer you want.</p>