<p>USStudy, The list from the OACAC only tracks need-based aid. It does not reflect merit scholarships offered to internationals. Many schools in the U.S. offer merit scholarships but not need-based aid to internationals so they are not included on the list. You can read the details of how the list is put together each year by going to the OACAC site, given on the link above.</p>
<p>An important concept for international students (and U.S. students too because they are also affected by it) to understand is how colleges here use enrollment management strategies and tactics. </p>
<p>Colleges and universities are not just admitting individual students, they are building a freshman class. Different schools can have different goals for their freshman class - some schools are looking to build diversity, some are looking to build their grades/test scores, some might need more science majors, some might need more artists, some might need a few good soccer players. Or, it could be a combination of all of the above. Each college is also keenly aware of how much income they need to keep running, so they are also looking at the total COST of the student body they are hoping to attract. </p>
<p>How does this relate to the idea of need-based financial aid and merit scholarship availability? Simple. Colleges use both need-based financial aid and merit scholarships to shape the class they want. Some admitted students are more desirable than other admitted students. And, as I said, colleges want to be sure that they can pay the bills so in some cases, a student who can afford to pay MORE is much more desirable than one who can afford to pay LESS or nothing.</p>
<p>Here's how this translates into financial aid and merit scholarships. Obviously, as already mentioned, some schools consider financial need of international students up front as part of the admissions process. They may reject perfectly qualified students who have more need than other similarly qualified students. They may also accept students who have more need that offer something the school particularly wants or needs in its freshman class. Therefore, even need-aware schools often accept students who have a great deal of need. </p>
<p>But, the effect of enrollment management doesn't end there. You see, even after the admissions decisions have been made, most schools still use financial aid and merit awards to continue to shape the freshmen class. This is called preferential packaging, and it affects both need-based and merit awards. </p>
<p>The school may accept several international students who have similar financial need, but Student A has something the school wants/values while Student B doesn't. Their need is the same, but the school offers Student A a better need-based financial aid package because they would rather have Student A attend than Student B (remember, they have both already been admitted but the "evaluation" process in a sense is still continuing.)</p>
<p>By the same token, Student C may have been admitted but just squeeked in. His or her stats put her towards the bottom of the admitted students pool. The school may offer a financial aid package that is less than desirable (i.e., larger amount of work study, bank loans, etc.) than they do to Student D who is towards the top of the admitted pool.</p>
<p>Remember, they are also looking at their bottom line. They may offer a poor financial aid package to some international (and for that matter US students), hoping that those students will want to attend bad enough that they and their families will find a way to make up the difference. By the same token, they may offer a better financial aid package to a student who has less need because they know that, over the course of four years, that student is likely not to have problems paying and will not ask for more money.</p>
<p>Merit awards are even more variable. While some are strictly numbers based ("all students who have test scores of XXXX and grade point averages of XXX get the XYZ merit scholarship automatically), most merit awards also are affected by enrollment management strategies. </p>
<p>Again, don't forget: colleges ultimately want to be able to pay the bills. So, sometimes merit scholarships are awarded based on who can afford to pay the most. International Student A and STudent B both have identical grades/test scores, but Student A can afford to attend without any financial aid, whereas Student B has more finanical need. Obviously, the school would MUCH rather get Student A to attend, even if they have to offer a merit scholarship "discount" to get them to do so. </p>
<p>And, by the same token, schools like Redlands or Augustana that have a hard time getting international students to attend because they are not a known name overseas, may be willing to negotiate in terms of merit scholarships in order to attract international students, especially full-paying international students (or those who have less need). Of course this depends IF enrolling more internationals is a priority in their international plans. </p>
<p>In many cases, it is a combination of the two: We want more internationals, but we want only internationals who can pay their own way, so we will offer those internationals a "merit scholarship" to attract them.The thinking is that even though we are discounting the amount we will get from them, we will still get more from them from another international student who needs more money from us.</p>
<p>This is why schools which get hundreds, even thousands, of applications every year from internationals can be a tougher road to travel in terms of both merit scholarships and need-based financial aid. If you are one of 50 or 100 internationals admitted, the school won't "need" you as much as if you are the only international student that has crossed their doorway this year. I guarantee you that at MOST schools, if you are the only international crossing their doorway, they will be willing to negotiate on a merit award, even if they do not offer need-based financial aid to internationals. But do not expect to receive a full ride on this alone, because those are few and very rare, even at schools that haven't had an international student in 50 years.</p>
<p>All of this is why I personally would advise international students (and U.S. students!) to approach the admissions process a little differently than most do. Then, decide whether your priority is simply to ONLY study at a "name brand" school in the U.S. or whether your priority is to study in the U.S. first and foremost. Remember, there are over 2800 4-year colleges and universities in the U.S., and you can get an excellent education at many of them. Yet, most internationals only consider the same 10-20 schools. They are then all competing with each other, and going through the same enrollment management filters. Now, there's nothing wrong with just looking at those same 10-20 schools if your priority is to ONLY come to the U.S. if you can study at one of them. But, if your priority is to come to the U.S. to study at a good school, and to be able to financially afford to do so, make sure you also include a full range of the other many excellent options here as well.</p>
<p>But don't stop there. Be brutally honest about your strengths AND weaknesses as a candidate. Consider what you have to offer, and who is most likely to want and need what you have to offer. If your admissions profile is on the weaker side and you just squeek into a school, keep in mind that you may not be offered enough money to attend. If you can afford to pay most of the way, but would like a "discount," you will have more options, and should definitely look outside the typical 10-20 schools if your priority is mainly to get a good education in the U.S.</p>
<p>If you are accepted to a school that needs what you have to offer, do not be shy about politely asking about the possibility of merit scholarship
"discounts", especially if you can afford to pay a substantial portion of your way, but the best places to negotiate are going to be schools where you are a rare quantity, not schools that have admitted 50 or 100 or more other international students, or schools where you are towards the middle or bottom of the admitted students pile.</p>
<p>I have many articles and resources that describe enrollment management in greater detail that I would be happy to share. If you are interested, please PM me with your email address. Best of luck to everyone!</p>