I noticed this on this data analysis of the common data set 2013/2014 - it shows Wesleyan gave an average of $47,244 to incoming freshman in NON-need based aid (excludes athletics). This only went to 1% of their students - but still. Their site says “No aid is based on academic merit, athletic ability or special talents” :
What gives?
https://www.washingtonpost.com/apps/g/page/local/college-grants-for-the-affluent/1526/
The Freeman Asian Scholars Program which is limited to one grantee each from eleven Asian and Southeast Asian countries, functions pretty much the way a merit scholarship would. It pays for all tuition and fees,and the amount awarded is not based on need. As far as I know, it is the only scholarship program of its kind at Wesleyan:
http://www.wesleyan.edu/admission/international_students/freeman.html
Thank you @circuitrider . That’s interesting, the only merit awards at Wesleyan go to a highly qualified international (Asian) student, not to a highly qualified American student. Sounds like this is a historic scholarship with a specific benefactor.
^ Mansfield Freeman, Class of 1916, co-founded AIG in China.