Do people realize that chasing big merit means applying to less selective schools?

[peterwoods573]

@thumper1

Sometimes this is true…and sometimes it does not matter. There is good guaranteed merit aid at a number of schools…and some of the departments in those schools are sufficiently strong, and sometimes stronger than a higher ranked school.

This is accurate on sometimes, although it doesn’t always matter. At several schools, there is excellent guaranteed merit aid available.and some of those departments are powerful enough, sometimes even better than those of a highly ranking institution.