My S applied back around the time of this thread.
He had 1400 SAT M+R with high gpa, academically related awards and ec.
While accepted, did not get the invite for scholars program. Did not get any merit scholarship.
To be honest, was one of the only schools he did not get into the honors/scholars program, nor merit. Did not make us feel warm and fuzzy.
He ended up attending an Ivy as it turned out,
so merit and scholars were not of course mandatory (Ivies do not have) but the scholars program is a mystery and dropped the ball on this one.