"Colleges can figure out when top-flight students are using them as safety schools; these kids’ grades and SAT scores will be significantly better than those of the average student who enrolls. With less scholarship aid available at most places, some midtier schools are less willing to offer high-performing students merit money if they think it’s unlikely they’ll enroll, says Alex Bickford, senior manager of college finance at College Coach and a former financial-aid officer at Southern New Hampshire University.
So, if students want the college to try to lure them with merit money, they should visit the campus and show a genuine interest by contacting professors and alumni, he says."
[How</a> to Get Financial Aid - WSJ.com](<a href=“How to Get Financial Aid - WSJ”>How to Get Financial Aid - WSJ)
Don’t just say “I really want to go to your school”. Say why you want to go there. Did one of your parent’s go there? Are you interested in a specific program that they are well known for? Do you really want to live in Southern California, and they are the best school for your major in the area? Do you want to work for XYZ, and that company heavily recruits from that school?