<p>[AU</a> reallocates amount of need-based aid in budget | The Eagle Online](<a href=“http://www.theeagleonline.com/news/story/au-reallocates-amount-of-need-based-aid-in-budget/]AU”>http://www.theeagleonline.com/news/story/au-reallocates-amount-of-need-based-aid-in-budget/)</p>
<p>It will be interesting to see what people post when they get their packages this year. Thanks for sharing.</p>
<p>They had previously changed the allocation of funds to reduce the amounts of merit scholarships and distribute more of them. We had been told that the Presidential Scholarship (which was $27K for students accepted to the Class of 2014) would likely be “around $30K” for 2015; however, it was reduced to $20K and more were awarded. I guess if this did not adversely affect the yield among the students they are trying to attract with merit money…they figured they could do more of the same.</p>
<p>I wonder if the plan is to reduce the amounts of the awards again, or to reduce the numbers of scholarships awarded? I do think that the merit money makes a lot of difference in tipping the balance towards AU for students who have several other good, but more expensive options. I know it did for my kid.</p>
<p>I think lowering the Presidential Scholarship will affect a student’s decision to attend. My daughter, class of 2015, received the scholarship and I noticed the lower amount immediately, as my son was awarded (and declined) the higher amount four years earlier. When weighing financial options the amount certainly factors into the decision.</p>