<p>I didn’t read the whole thread, so please forgive me if I’m repeating something already said.</p>
<p>I know exactly what you are talking about, kmrcollege, and also do not consider this as true merit aid. It’s more like what used to happen when you went to buy a car. There’s the sticker price that’s posted, but almost immediately the salesperson takes off a few thousand for you. The kids that this happened to were not especially meritorious (downright poor student in one case) but got a “scholarship”, and/or else the discount offer was made at an on campus event before applications were even submitted. The schools seem to be small privates that do not always fill up all their spots, like Widener in PA. In the cases I heard about, the discount was $5-$8,000.</p>