non-need based aid vs need based??

<p>Hi! I was recently looking at the College Board website and read that a lot of colleges offer need based and non-need based aid. I know what need based aid is, but I'm not sure about the non-need based one. Can you explain it to me? Is it the same as merit based aid?</p>

<p>Merit money might not be based on need, so yeah, that could be one form on non-need based aid. Other forms of aid that may or may not have anything to do with need could include athletic money, talent money (music, acting, writing), diversity grants, religious money (given to parish members attending the local Cathoolic institution, for example), employee tuition benefits. I’m sure there are more.</p>

<p>See my post [url=&lt;a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/15355007-post12.html]here[/url”&gt;http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/15355007-post12.html]here[/url</a>] about the different types of aid that are available. May be more detail than you need . . . but it might help.</p>