Stacking Aid: Need-based + Merit on top?

Parents Forum
21

I think some clarification is needed.

If a school doesn’t meet need, and they award “some” grants, and there still is a gap, they might throw in a merit scholarship for a student that they really want. But, there still may be the EFC that remains.

If a school gives a HUGE merit award and no need based grants, then the remaining costs could easily be less than some folks EFC.

Merit is usually applied first because it’s usually awarded by the Admissions office, not the FA office.

If a school meets need with grants, loans, and WS, then it might remove the loans and WS and award a merit scholarship in place.

22

This was for the 2011-2012 application cycle.

Vanderbilt: My son won one of their full tuition scholarships, and then he got 13K in need-based grants on top of that. Our EFC that year was about $10,500. Our billed amount would have been $900 a year had he attended! I never thought about it, but yeah, I guess they did it cause they really wanted him.

23

@sbjdorlo they could have calculated a COA exceeding tuition, room and board by adding travel, books, etc. Most schools at that level do.