<p>Only about 60 colleges even claim to meet 100% of demonstrated financial need.
(<a href=“http://www.usnews.com/education/best-colleges/paying-for-college/articles/2014/09/15/colleges-and-universities-that-claim-to-meet-full-financial-need”>http://www.usnews.com/education/best-colleges/paying-for-college/articles/2014/09/15/colleges-and-universities-that-claim-to-meet-full-financial-need</a>). West Virginia University, for example, on average met 72% of demonstrated need in 2012-13, according to its Common Data Set figures. Penn State, on average, met 58%.</p>
<p>Merit aid, by definition, has nothing to do with demonstrated financial need (even though some families do count on it to cover the gap between what they are able/willing to pay and the EFC).</p>