It may work best to focus your cost-management strategy primarily on one of three main objectives:
- low sticker price (for example, at in-state public universities, service academies, or work colleges)
- need-based aid (which tends to be best at rich, very selective schools with high sticker prices)
- merit awards (which can be either competitive or automatic for minimum stats)
Typically, merit grants reduce the demonstrated need (and hence displace n-b aid). They are most advantageous when the merit award amount exceeds demonstrated need (e.g. for upper middle income families who otherwise would be paying full sticker).