<p>My D is my second going through this college process, my S did five years ago. My son did RD decision was a B+ kid and received all his merit with his acceptance. My D this year, exceptional grades, valedictorian, interned in a competitive medical program etc. Most of her acceptances have come without merit money ( a wait and see from the schools) but offers of Honors programs, auto med acceptances, auto Master's degree etc. Now we are receiving the letters and calls asking her to commit to the various and programs - because of housing, may not have room in desired program and various other reasons from the schools and programs themselves. For my son, no commitment was made until those final numbers came in April. Is this new, no merit until later and a push to get earlier commitments?</p>
<p>Our experience has been that if you are getting merit aid you usually find out quite soon (with acceptance or very shortly after). I don’t think it is the new normal to find out later – at most schools if you don’t hear early, you aren’t getting it. I have heard specifically of nursing programs that told kids who waited to accept that there was no more room (even though they were offered a spot), not sure if it is common with other programs. Housing priority is often a carrot larger schools use to try to get students to commit early, too.</p>
<p>Just curious, was there overlap in the schools they applied to? Were they the same type of schools (size, public v private, LAC vs University, seemed similar in terms of merit possibilities per the websites)?</p>
<p>The smaller school offered merit with admission letter (significant aid at a significant price tag for tuition). The rest are all state schools. She has also applied RD at two other privates that she expects decisions in March. All are engineering programs.</p>
<p>Perhaps the difference is based on the more competitive programs with your D this year. </p>
<p>The very top schools tend to offer little if any merit aid. They probably are also more constrained on available slots. Good luck as you sort through it all.</p>
<p>My experience has been the opposite with schools that my one son applied to in 2007. He got merit award letters in the spring at from his EA schools. Some of those very same schools are now sending award letters with acceptances from what I read here. </p>
<p>As to merit award amounts, I do know that they have diminished over the years, and thresholds to getting the awards have gone up. It’s more difficult these days to get that money.</p>
<p>OP, could gender have made the difference? There are so many outstanding girls headed to college, and gender breakdowns continue to show boys in lower numbers, especially at LACs. Maybe it’s just easier to get the love if you’re a guy???</p>
<p>My older son stellar student, didn’t get as big an offer as my younger one. Younger one got the big offer from a school that has too many females, while older kid was a tech kid applying to tech schools for the most part. It always helps to be what the school needs more of. My older son (in 2007) got an early acceptance saying he would be getting a merit award, but didn’t hear what the award was until April. Younger son’s merit award came with his acceptance - my recollection was that it was in early or mid-March.</p>
<p>No room in engineering for a top female candidate? Not buying that.</p>
<p>I applied to colleges in 2005-2006, and merit aid was mixed as to when it arrived. I got merit aid from all 7 schools I applied to/was admitted to–I specifically targeted merit aid when applying, so this was the product of specific strategy as much as anything. In one case, the delay was because the university was rolling admissions, but the merit aid (full tuition+) was on a different timeline and required an in-person interview. On the other hand, another university’s equally large award (full tuition) came with the acceptance letter. So, like others have said, it varies.</p>
<p>It is very common for state schools to send in housing deposits at the very least. DS applied to programs that offered a lot of competitive merit, so acceptance came early then the good merit came in March or April.</p>
<p>My D applied to 10+ schools last year and her merit award/honor college invites came with every letter. Financial aid came later. If your D applied to more competitive schools than your son, this could explain less merit money. A big frog in a small pond or a small frog in a big pond? Also, you have no control over the applicant pool for any year and/or program. Also, to balance the demographics and program enrollment of an incoming class, colleges offer money to fill spaces they need filled.</p>
<p>DS got merit award offers with acceptances (as did DD in '12). We sent in the housing deposit to state flagship for both long before decisions were made, just ensure a spot in housing.</p>
<p>I did not notice differences in when the merit award letters arrived, but I have seen a depression in the amount of tuition-discount awarded merit since 2006. With all 3 kids (2006, 2010, 2013) I saw some arrive with the acceptance letter and some drift in weeks or months after. I suspect the later merit awards had a stronger financial need component to them than the ones that arrived with the acceptance.</p>
<p>Thanks everyone. I think huge difference is type of school, S was LAC, D is larger, much more competitive engineering programs. I am just surprised how many are asking for down payments without knowing additional info. I understand placing a payment for room lotteries etc. My D knows she is still in the running for large scholarships just needs to wait it out.</p>
<p>Is “downpayment” for the tuition or the housing or both? It is NOT uncommon for the competitive state schools to ask for housing commitment early. They want their honors and special programs students to be able to get the best housing…and…they use the early deposit as a way to “reserve” that housing for them.</p>
<p>In every case of merit money at the time of acceptance for all three boys the colleges “requested” an early deposit but why not ask for the sale if you are discounting the cost? In each case when asked, the college acknowledged that the award would stand with confirmation of attendance by May 1. College is first and foremost a business, people and they want to lock and load their class before the short break when they do it all over again with the next year’s class. And yes, the publics asked for housing deposits, and it was clear they were housing deposits.</p>