So can merit-based aid...

<p>Come in any form besides an official scholarship? Can schools just tell you that they're going to give you X amount of money because they like your academics, even if it is not under one of the special scholarship programs? Is that how it works with need-based aid?</p>

<p>Basically, I kind of just want to know how a school tells you whether or not you're getting money... In a regular financial aid package, do they discuss work-study programs or other forms of getting money?</p>

<p>Ooh, and one more thing, is it true that after your first year of college, you tend to pick up more scholarships and such for good grades?</p>

<p>When you receive the financial aid package from a school it will list what money you are getting and the sources - including the work study award, any grants from the school, any government grants(like Pell grants) and loans. It will also show what parents contribution is and what the students contribution is. </p>

<p>The finaid offer my son receives shows Expenses, Resources(Parent Contribution, student contribution and other resources which include outside scholarships and noncustodial parent contribution) and then there is a list of aid which looks something like this: </p>

<p>Cal Grant
University Grant
Federal ACG Grant
Federal Pell Grant
Federal SEOG
Federal Work Study
Perkins Loan</p>

<p>The various grants and work study are followed by the amounts of each grant/loan. </p>

<p>What it will show on your finaid offers may differ depending on the school and whether or not you are eligible for Pell Grants, etc. </p>

<p>At my son's school the first finaid offer did just show that they were giving him a grant (it was not any special scholarship, just a grant from the University). At some point during the year he received a letter advising him that he had been awarded a specific scholarship which then replaced the unnamed University Grant. But you should note that his University Grant was need based. </p>

<p>As to whether or not you can obtain more scholarships after the first year depends greatly on the school you attend. My son's school has some amazing upperclass merit scholarships but I think his school may be unusual in offering very generous upperclass merit scholarships. The best place to look would be to look at the specific schools you are applying to and see what kind of scholarships are available after your first year in college. </p>

<p>Hope this helps.</p>

<p>Any merit scholarships my D has received from her school have been from specific scholarship programs within the school where she had a particular ACT and/or GPA score - others were particular programs she had applied for (such as research) that were based on application essays and recommendation letters as well as academics/ACTs etc. None of these were based on need.</p>

<p>Need based aid is different altogether - you apply for financial aid using FAFSA (and/or profile if your school requires it). This produces a number called the EFC (expected family contribution). The difference between the EFC and the COA (Cost Of Attendance) is the basis for need based awards. Need based awards may consist of federal/state grants (very low EFC), school grants, loans(student subsidised and/or unsubsidised, parent), work study and possibly a gap - that is unmet need - if the school does not meet full need.</p>

<p>We found my daughter was given a financial aid offer based on need. Most of her merit money awards came later and her financial aid was adjusted (loans were reduced) by the amount of the merit awards.</p>

<p>There are scholarships available for sophomores and up. At my Ds school they are not automatic (as in not everyone with a certain GPA automatically gets them). Most are quite small, some are larger and all seem to be quite competitive.</p>

<p>Hmm... thanks! What about private scholarships? Do most people manage to win some of these before they attend in the fall? I know the best thing to do is to try but...</p>

<p>There are lots of national scholarships but they are very competitive. Many are need based, some are not (fastweb is one site you can sign up at that will send you tons of information). Worth trying - someone wins them after all - but a lot of people apply. From what I have seen with friends kids here a better bet is local scholarships. Your senior counsellor at high school should be able to give you a list. I know a couple of kids (good but not top students) who won local scholarships where only 2-3 people even applied.</p>

<p>Also check if your State or the college you are thinking of gives any merit money for high ACT/SAT scores. My daughter had a partial tuition waiver based on her ACT but kept retaking it even after she was accepted to try and get a better scholarship - she succeeded at her final try (the last eligible ACT date) and increased her scholarship by $4000 a year. </p>

<p>If you apply to schools where you are in the upper tier of students stats wise you have a better chance of getting merit money.</p>

<p>No, most people don't win any private or other scholarships. To win most private ones, you have to apply, and you have to be a good example of what the sponsors are looking for.</p>

<p>What I've seen as a person who has run some private scholarship programs is that when it comes to local private colleges, few people bother to apply or if they do apply, they do sloppy, late jobs, acting as if the scholarship will be given by lottery, not by the quality of the application. Sadly, often the students who do the worst jobs are the ones who most need the money. Meanwhile, the most well off students often take the time to submit the best scholarship applications (in terms of neatness, taking the time to write grammatical, copy edited essays that fit the scholarship's prompt, timeliness, etc.).</p>