Merit Strategy Question

Paying for College
1

My son just got accepted to a small (and expensive!!) private college. Total fees are just under 70K/year, but he got a merit award of 35K/year. We did not qualify for any need-based aid.

The college offers some additional merit scholarships on an application basis, with application deadlines of January 1. The ones my son will apply for would provide an additional 5 - 8K/year.

So here’s my question: this is his first-choice school and he will enroll regardless of the additional scholarships, but I’m wondering if there’s any strategy to the timing of sending in the deposit. If we sent in his deposit now, do we decrease the odds of his getting one of the additional scholarships (because they know he’s coming even without the extra money)?

2

Perhaps your fears are not unfounded, and if so, I imagine this kind of thing happens on a school-by-school basis. Therefore, without knowing which specific school your son was accepted to, any response here that suggests a particular course of action would just be a guess.

3

Is there any reason to send in the deposit early (e.g. earlier choice for housing or class registration, or this was an ED application)?

4

If this wasn’t an ED acceptance, just apply for the scholarships and see what happens. If a EA, rolling or regular decision acceptance, there is no need to send the deposit in.

And the timing of this likely will have no impact on other scholarships.