<p>I am a current Junior, with very good stats. 3.98 GPA, 35 ACT, and I am thinking about applying to "top" schools. As a general rule, do these colleges give rich packages to students like myself, to entice them to attend? I have heard from older classmates that colleges will be giving me a ton of money, but I think this is mainly referring to my state schools. For the private or OOS schools that attract lots of phenomenal students, is there significant money that they will offer, given their entire student bodies are made up of top students?</p>
<p>Schools like Vanderbilt, Duke, UNC-CH, and UVA are pretty stingy with who they give significant merit aid to. Many top schools, including all Ivies and most top LACs don’t offer any money in merit aid. No one can count on money from these top schools unless they have need. </p>
<p>I think, in general, after perhaps the top 30 or 40 on US News’ Top Universities and after top 20 on LACs (and some above these, but I’m generalizing), you’re very likely (as is everyone with your stats) to get good merit aid. If you want to name some schools, I can be a little more specific. </p>
<p>Thanks for the response! I have been looking at Chapel Hill, and mainly schools with undergrad business. Michigan and Virginia, as well as WUSTL have been up there, but I was just wondering, because I will likely not have enough need to where I will be fully covered. With that in mind, do you have any ideas of specific schools that are strong in business, and also strong in the amount of merit aid they dole out?</p>
<p>Public schools usually do not give good merit aid OR need based aid to out of state students. Unless UNC, Michigan, or UVA are in-state for you they are probably not good choices. What state do you live in?</p>
<p>In the case of WUSTL or any of the very top public schools, you should not count on merit aid. Each already can pick from the top of the applicant pool, and if you decline the offer, there are plenty more people with your stats profile that will gladly accept a spot in those classes. </p>
<p>If money is the driving factor, be sure to apply to some lower ranked schools, too. My ACT was a 34 and I got a full tuition offer from Pitt (but the fact that I’m from an underrepresented state probably also helped) and a lower-level Banneker Key scholarship from Maryland (probably because my interview wasn’t the best). </p>
<p>I know next to nothing about business schools, but if you want money and some prestige, you should check out those two, as well as Ohio State, Wisconsin (idk about their merit, but I think OOS costs are somewhat lower than other good state schools), and Minnesota. </p>
<p>“s there significant money that they will offer, given their entire student bodies are made up of top students?”</p>
<p>you have figured out the obvious. 
</p>
<p>top schools are filled with top students so they dont need to give merit scholarships. the exceptions are when a school is trying to get a top student from a particular state or a student from a desired URM status (for instance, male AA students are highly desirable)</p>
<p>even then, some top schools dont give any merit money…</p>
<p>first you need to find out how much your parents will pay each year? Is that amount more or less than what colleges will expect them to pay? </p>
<p>then you need to identify schools that will give you enough merit for your stats. some schools will have competitive merit, some will have assured merit for stats. apply to both types of schools.</p>
<p>What state are you instate for and are you National Merit Finalist by any chance?</p>
<p>There is very limited merit aid offered to OOS students at UVA, UNC or UMich. </p>
<p>There are Net Price Calculators on each college website. Some actually ask for your stats and include possible merit awards. I would suggest you start by running the NPCs for your colleges of interest to get a ballpark of what your family will be expected to pay.</p>
<p>And as mom2 says…you need to have a conversation with your parents about college, and how much they are actually able to give you annually.</p>
<p>Have you looked at programs within your state? </p>
<p>Merit aid is used to attract students to a school they would otherwise not consider. You are not worthy of merit at any of the tippy top schools, because they are already filled with students like you. That’s a compliment, btw. If you want merit aid, you need to look at schools a step below the top. What is your budget?</p>
<p>My D had 4.0/35/800math2/lots of AP5s etc., etc. Michigan and UNC didn’t give her a dime. Both have some merit, not much, though Michigan truthfully has precious little for OOS. The thing is that stats aren’t enough. You have to be really extraordinary in other ways to win that money. Are you? At WUSTL, just hope you can get admitted. Their merit is also hard to get. You can try, but if you really need merit aid you have to aim at different schools to be guaranteed.</p>
<p>Pretty sure Michigan doesn’t give much need-based aid to OOS, if any. I’ve heard UNC-Chapel Hill does, but that’s secondhand, not personal experience.</p>
<p>WI mostly has merit for URMs and little to nothing for anyone else. Minnesota will probably give you an OOS tuition waiver and possibly more. If you are NMF you’ll also get a semi-automatic scholarship that covers most of tuition.</p>
<p>The CC financial aid forum has separate threads for assured and competitive large merit awards and also one just for National Merit. That will give you a starting point. There is a lot to learn to be sure you send at least some of your apps to places you like that also are likely to be affordable.</p>
<p>UMich does offer merit aids to the very top oos students (around 1-2%). However, ACT 35 and GPA 3.98 is in the fuzzy area. If you are in state with this stat, you will have a better chance for major merit aids at UMich although it is still not guaranteed.
Even for Purdue, your stat is still in the grey area for their major merit scholarships although they offer it to over 1000 admitted students. However, you should be able to get merit aids from many schools if you aim a little bit lower.</p>
<p>UMich does not guarantee to meet full need for OOS students. It does for instate.</p>
<p>^ That is absolutely true, however, it is perhaps out of the scope of the discussion here. The sad thing is, the merit aid would replace the grant as the need is reduced after the scholarship. At the end, some in state students still do not benefit much from merit aid unless it is more than the need.</p>
<p>If you are just starting to think about these things, it’s important to note the way merit affects need-based aid. Any merit you receive, internal or external, is considered to reduce your need and usually reduces any need-based aid almost dollar for dollar. Unless the merit is greater than your need, the way it usually helps is to reduce the student loan/work-study part of package. Also, though merit aid may have GPA requirements for renewal, it isn’t subject to reduction because of increased salary or other positive financial events in your family’s life.</p>