Be aware that many schools will not stack institutional grant aid on top of merit aid unless the instutional grant $$ is indicated to be more. For example, say your financial need is $30,000 and the merit award is $35,000. The will not give you any more institutional aid at all. If there merit is $15,000, and the need is $30,000, the institutional aid will be $15,000. (At generous meets need schools. At some schools, there is no grant aid.)