<p>This is just one family’s experience from last year. We applied for aid everywhere D applied. Our EFC was around $33K. Pretty much every offer that came in left us with that $33K due, except for those schools that were aggressively looking for students like our D. (Female, National Merit Scholar, science major). So we weren’t gapped, but it looked to me like the merit award was made in relation to the EFC.</p>
<p>I do wonder if some of the suggestions above to just go for the merit aid might not work out better for you, assuming your child has great stats. If we hadn’t applied for aid might my D have garnered more in aid? Sounds plausible now, though I wouldn’t have believed it before we went through the process.</p>