<p>I agree with OP - but the colleges have no idea of the family income or assets if the family has not applied for need-based FA. I have a cousin whose family is extremely wealthy. He has been accepted at several great schools with merit money. They don’t need it - but once it is offered - they are not exactly going to decline it. The colleges have no idea how much their income is - just that it is high enough that they have not applied for FA. They give out merit awards to entice the students they want most to attend their school. Presumably, they could be offering merit money to a multimillionaire - but they don’t know that. It is all rather strange.</p>
<p>* the colleges have no idea of the family income or assets if the family has not applied for need-based FA*</p>
<p>This also can limit the amount of merit aid- as some schools do require FAFSA as part of application for any scholarship.
Always best to be familiar with the schools policies
Not to mention, but if you didn’t fill out financial aid forms freshman year- even if need changes in subsequent years, student may not be eligible</p>
<p>*I have a cousin whose family is extremely wealthy. He has been accepted at several great schools with merit money. They don’t need it - but once it is offered - they are not exactly going to decline it. The colleges have no idea how much their income is - just that it is high enough that they have not applied for FA. They give out merit awards to entice the students they want most to attend their school. Presumably, they could be offering merit money to a multimillionaire - but they don’t know that. It is all rather strange. *</p>
<p>I think it’s rare for someone who’s a multimillionaire to have a child with stats high enough for merit at a lower tier school, not to go to a top tier school. It would likely be rare enough for a school not to really worry about it. And, I guess when it does happen, there’s always the possibility that the wealthy family will be a source of donations and other benefits to the school.</p>
<p>That said, there have been children of wealthy athletes who’ve been given free rides with athletic scholarships.</p>
<p>However, in both cases, the school still expects to benefit in the long run.</p>
<p>It will be interesting to see what they do - he got $20,000/year in merit money from Dickinson, but was also accepted at Cornell and Tufts. My point was simply that Dickinson awards merit money based on stats - they have no idea of the recipient family’s net worth. I just think it is kind of a shame to offer $20,000/year to someone who absolutely does not need it.</p>
<p>I think it’s rare for someone who’s a multimillionaire to have a child with stats high enough for merit at a lower tier school, not to go to a top tier school.</p>
<p>You would be surprised.
I used to be a nanny for a family who were savvy enough to buy up cable/net rights in the 1970s and who are doing exceedingly well & their son who is also very bright, attended a California state school ( and has his own successful company at 27)
A boy who attended private high school with my older daughter and whose mother is CEO of a very successful national company, attended the same instate public university that my younger daughter is attending ( not the flagship)</p>
<p>It isn’t that uncommon anymore.</p>
<p>I would agree that it is nice to see money going to someone that otherwise could not attend, but when it is private monies, it is also pretty hard to dictate where it goes without putting restrictions in a way that could cause more problems.</p>