Are early applicants prefered for merit aid?

[bopper]

But since the question is about CWRU, and they say ED/EA/RD consideration for merit is all the same.

Merit aid is a recruitment tool for higher stats. Some schools have an formula that automatically grants merit aid based on stats. But at schools were merit aid is DISCRETIONARY, if the non-FA student applies ED, and is bound to commit anyway, then what’s the point of dangling a non-need-based incentive?

The incentive is to get those top kids to apply ED and then attend…which therefore increases their yield which is very important to colleges.