<p>Just a heads up for newcomers reading these posts…there is a difference between true merit aid (absolutely no financial need) and merit aid given as part of a financial aid package.</p>
<p>Many schools give out “merit” money as part of a package, but money is only awarded if there is financial need. Without financial need, the money is not awarded. </p>
<p>So when reviewing this info, make sure a student’s financial need is clarified.</p>
<p>uskoolfish is correct in warning folks to look closely at the different types of aid offered. However, I tried to be clear about the Northwestern offer - only one part was need based: the music scholarship and the academic scholarship were solely merit based and guaranteed for every year. A need based grant (or loans) will vary from year to year depending on one’s financial situation.</p>
<p>On the other hand, it’s quite possible that a school will be more inclined to give merit aid to an applicant who also has financial need. But that’s something that the recipient will probably never know.</p>
<p>D was supposed to be awarded an academic “merit” award from her college. She was granted it, but when it went through financial aid, she was not awarded it because there was no financial need (per FAFSA, I must add!) If she had financial need, she would have rec’d this award. Fortunately, her program director was able to fight for her to get merit aid by offering her a talent “merit” award which was still being awarded regardless of need. Others in her program rec’d the first award because they had need. It is hard to determine what any of the students would have gotten without need or with lower academics or less outstanding talent. </p>
<p>You need to go into the process asking as many specific questions as you can…and then expect to get some surprises!</p>
<p>Some colleges will reduce your “need”-based aid by the amount of your merit award (musical or academic) as well - particularly private colleges, I think. My son was awarded a $15,000 special-audition music merit award from an LAC which was used to reduce his need-based award.</p>
<p>The fact that many schools require a FAFSA or PROFILE in order for a student to be considered for a TALENT or MERIT scholarship is very frustrating. Some very talented students with little or less demonstrated need will get significantly smaller awards. It seems as if some schools determine the merit based on need, which can make the merit award seem to be a need-based award. That is an oxymoron, if the two awards are supposed to be two separate entities.</p>
<p>The only “pure” way to determine if an award is merit only is if there were no financials filed.</p>
<p>I’m not sure all schools use FAFSA to screen out unneedy merit kids from needy merit kids. The college counselor at my daughter’s high school urged all students regardless of their parents’ financial status to file for FAFSA, because some schools use FAFSA files, according to her, to identify kids for merit scholarships who care enough about money to at least try. It didn’t make much sense to to me but we filed, even though I was sure we would not qualify for financial aid. Nevertheless, in one school as an example, my daughter received a handsome merit scholarship. Another student from her high school did not apply for FAFSA and got nothing, even though academic and talent were roughly equivalent. What I’m saying isn’t science, but it’s what happened. Take it for what it’s might be worth. FAFSA is relatively easy to fill out and if you use H&R Block for your taxes, they will do it for you for free. So, to my mind, little pain and some potential gain.</p>
<p>Stringfollies – Not just some schools, all schools. Legally, fin aid has to consider the merit scholarships as a financial resource, and need-based aid is adjusted accordingly. It a matter of federal law, not localized to specific universities, as I have been given to understand it.
At University of Michigan, however, they first reduce “self help” (eg. subsidized loan and work study) where possible instead of grant if the formula works. Other schools may do this as well in their calculations (or instead start on the need-based grants.) My s. received in-state combined merit awards of $12,000 (U of M does give academic + departmental/music merit awards but the music scholarships are “need-informed” and are evaluated AFTER academic scholarships are applied…which makes sense in terms of good fiscal stewardship…The merit scholarship was offered to s. before they’d even seen fafsa or css and appear to be completely unrelated to need.) My understanding of “need informed” does not rule out the recruitment factor, particularly for OOS students as I understand it. (Eg. they say they attempt to make the offers meaningful in relation to the cost of tuition, gap or balance of COA.)
Just wanted to add that info for anyone wanting to know how it works in general and how it works specifically at U of M.</p>
<p>just in case anyone wants to consider Notre Dame in future, DS received $15,000 in merit scholarship from the Music department on top of the financial aid (need based). I think they might be even more generous with marching band instrumentalists.</p>
<p>Daughter received $15,000 music merit award (we don’t qualify for need) from San Franciscso Conservatory…I don’t believe she is required to submit Fafsa next year to keep it just a 2.5 gpa…By the way… she is a soprano so we were happy to receive it.</p>
<p>Since we would not have qualified for need-based aid at the state university music schools where my son applied (U. Mich. and IU) , we did not file for it at all. He still got music merit $$ from these schools.</p>
<p>For voice/theatre majors, look into local theatre or performing groups, many of which give scholarship money to students who submit applications/interviews/auditions. D has received another $1000 from 1, $750 from another and $500 from a third.She still has a few more pending. It was worth her time to fill out the apps and go in to answer a few questions and sing something. As another soprano, albeit a mezzo, she is grateful to receive whatever she gets.
Another good place to look is local law firms. Around here, there are several large firms which have varying requirements but which award amounts from $500 to $8K. Now, performance majors can’t usually commit to internships between the junior and senior years of college, which may leave out those bigger awards, but money can be found in some unusual places. Keep looking!</p>
<p>Thank you for this information. I could not find anything on Peabody’s website about merit aid. Also, Northwestern’s website leads the reader to believe that merit aid is not available! I had more or less written off these schools as potentials for this reason. So thanks very much to everyone who has taken the time to set the record straight!!!</p>
<p>Not sure what Northwestern’s policy is concerning true merit aid. Spiritmaster states that S rec’d both financial aid and merit aid. Since they did qualify for financial aid, their merit award may be based on the fact that they demonstrated need. Even though the aid rec’d is titled both financial and merit, the “merit” part might not be available as merit aid to someone who does not file a Fafsa or someone who does file and shows zero need. That is the question that needs to be asked of each school so that your expectation for rec’d aid is realistic.</p>
<p>My understanding of financial aid at NW has always been that there is merit aid - largely from endowed scholarships - but that the recipients must also have need. The website clearly says that all undergraduate financial aid is based on need.</p>
<p>From Northwestern’s website:
<p>My son got all three kinds of aid. The music scholarship was not huge, but more than his National Merit scholarship. The merit aid was renewable based on academic/music performance, not financial need. All in all, they made it affordable to attend, with no loans. It wasn’t finances which ultimately made him choose a different school, although he would have been very happy at Northwestern and it was a difficult decision.</p>
<p>Son was only given $2,500 for NEC (Plus $1,000 federal SEO grant). But, then was accepted to the Harvard/NEC program. Go figure.</p>
<p>IU: 9,000 distinction, 6,000 music Grant, 3,000 Hutton honors
UW Madision: 3,000 music grant but already had earned a full tuition scholarship ($8,000)from a school of music competition last year.
Eastman: $26,650
Lawrence University: $18,000</p>
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<p>This quote from the Music School is what I was relying upon - it doesn’t seem to jive completely with the answer to the question elsewhere on the website. </p>
<p>More important than what is on the website is what students have received, however.</p>
<p>This thread is now 2 cycles old, but it has some info as to what was available, and what was projected to happen <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/394705-northwestern.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/394705-northwestern.html</a></p>
<p>It was confusing then, and appears from the last couple of posts, it’s still confusing now. I know when I looked, some of the info was buried deeply, and apparently not correct.</p>
<p>Current awards are indicative of current policy, but it would appear that it is important to ask specific questions.</p>
<p>[q]This quote from the Music School is what I was relying upon - it doesn’t seem to jive completely with the answer to the question elsewhere on the website. </p>
<p>More important than what is on the website is what students have received, however. [/q]</p>
<p>This is exactly my point and I agree. The website leads the reader to believe that the only students who will receive any type of scholarship must have a demonstrated financial need. However, from the posts on this forum (thank you) it does appear that this is not 100% true, which means that it is at least worth a try to apply for money even if you don’t think you will qualify for a need-based award.</p>
<p>Our S received a merit scholarship to Oberlin Conservatory and we are not receiving any financial aid (at least this year…). It is good for up to 5 years if he enters the dual degree program.</p>