<p>The list of schools known for good merit aid is a tremendous resource. Would it also be possible to get a list of schools that don't give any merit aid. I seem to recall that it's all the Ivies, but I might be mistaken; what about Tufts? Thanks!</p>
<p>Northwestern and Georgetown-- no merit aid.</p>
<p>Tufts offers so little as to counted as zero. (1% got an average of $500; that works out to an average of $5 per student).</p>
<p>MIT also gives ZERO merit money.</p>
<p>None of the Ivies do nor do Stanford, Bowdoin, Amherst, Wellesley, St. Johns or Williams.</p>
<p>Which St Johns? The one in NY offers loads of Merit Aid.</p>
<p>St. Johns the "great books" college in Annapolis/New Mexico.</p>
<p>Bowdoin may not offer merit aid, but they offered my daughter a $3000 scholar award that could be used for research or summer travel - and they said that they would waive her summer work contribution the summer she used it. (Sounds like merit money to me!)</p>
<p>No merit at Pomona but good finaid</p>
<p>Most of the Top 25 LACs offer ONLY need based aid. Bryn Mawr is one of them.</p>
<p>poetsheat: I know Bryn Mawr says it does not offer merit scholarships, but my daughter was accepted and offered a 4 year renewable Trustee Scholarship, merit based.</p>
<p>Reed states no merit aid, BUT, if you do have need, they will give merit aid in form of schlarship/grant (with no loans or w/s) for top students.</p>
<p>No merit aid - Skidmore.</p>
<p>No merit aid--Wesleyan</p>
<p>I too, am amazed (like the poster on another current thread) how many students/parents apply to these schools (1) not knowing (pr believing) that they do not offer merit aid, and (2) not knowing (or believing) their EFC calculation. Only after acceptance does the moaning and groaning about affordability begin. So I think this is an extremely useful thread. No matter HOW generous these schools are with need-based aid, it will generally be a maximum of up to the COA-EFC.</p>
<p>Peacenik,Skidmore has two merit aid scholarships,Porter for Math and Science and a music one, Filene or something like that. The Porter is 10K renewable for 4 years.</p>
<p>digmedia: Yes, I agree with your assessment...however, there are schools (like Bryn Mawr, for instance) that swear up and down they do not offer merit-based aid, yet this is exactly what my daughter received, and the letter clearly stated this. $8K renewable for 4 years, which was generous. So I think when you see cases like this (and I'm sure there are plenty of other similar cases), this is why parents and students often don't believe it when schools say they don't offer merit aid. Some, in fact, that say they don't--clearly do. I also think there are schools, like Wellesley, for instance, that do not offer merit based aid either, yet they do offer hefty "grants" in their financial aid packages. And it seems if a student is appealing enough, they can be found to be in "financial need." Who's gonna complain?</p>
<p>Tufts gives out NMS awards to the finalists who attend - but it's either $500 for those who are not on financial aid (about 1/2 the school doesn't apply) or $2,000 for those who get financial aid (I think that's how it works).</p>
<p>Should have mentioned: MIT is apparently quite generous with financial aid, though. </p>
<p>DIII schools do not give out athletic scholarships - for those of you with star athletes at home. I believe that DII schools can do so.</p>
<p>Within the limits of there being some "need", I don't know of a single college or university that doesn't offer "merit" aid (I'm sure there are some, but I haven't heard of any.) These awards will vary, from juggling the actual size of the packages, to eliminating loan portions, to elminating work-study expectations, to providing summer stipends for research or travel, to providing up to 3 years of paid graduate school.</p>
<p>And some will even find some "need" when there really isn't any.</p>
<p>What Mini said. There's a difference between an aid package of $20K in loans and work-study and one with $10K in grants, and $10K in loans/work study. It's amazing how the latter go to the students a college really wants to get.</p>