<p>If a school offers merit scholarships, are you only able to get them if you qualify for full FA? Or if you qualify for half FA can you still get a scholarship? What if you qualify for no FA? thanks!!!</p>
<p>Scholarships can be merit-based or need-based. If they are merit-based then you don’t need to qualify for FA, otherwise the amount of the scholarship you get will be based on your need.</p>
<p>Ok so for merit your finicial situation isn’t considered?</p>
<p>Yes. However, know that most top schools don’t offer merit-based scholarships.</p>
<p>According to boarding school review, kent school does have merit scholarships. Is that accurate?</p>
<p>I think so. Someone on this board from last year got a merit scholarship from Kent. I think his name is Italianboarder (?). Get in touch with him if you can to get more information.</p>
<p>So if you don’t apply for FA can you still get a merit scholarship? ( just for istance)</p>
<p>Latinlad, you need to check with the school about the app procedure.</p>
<p>I second Benley; you really need to call. It differs from every school. Mercersburg also has merit scholarships and they require an additional essay. I was told at Kent that needing financial aid improved my son’s chances for the merit aid. At least that’s how I understood it. Really…call. And are you sure your parents don’t qualify for FA?</p>
<p>You have to apply to get a merit scholarship too. The school won’t just hand it to you if you want it after you’ve been accepted. This statement is the same concerning Financial Aid.</p>
<p>Some schools give merit scholarships completely independent of financial need. We were encouraged to apply for both, since the merit scholarships are so difficult to get (maybe one boy and girl).
I am cynical. I believe that the schools will first try to give a merit scholarship to someone who has a great financial need because a full pay applicant who doesn’t get the merit scholarship may still pay to attend. </p>
<p>Some schools have separate applications for the merit scholarships, while at others, every single applicant is put into the pool.
zp</p>
<p>It differs by school. You need to look through each school’s materials to determine their policy. It’s usually pretty clear.</p>
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<p>Aha, Zuzu! So now what I was told about needing FA increasing chances for merit aid makes sense.</p>
<p>Yes that is a good point. I think merit scholarships are somewhat based on FA as well.</p>