@VANYU2021Mom This was explained to me by both financial aid and a department head at NYU. Essentially NYU determines if a domestic student has any need by looking at EFC/ profile and comparing that to the cost of attending. If your EFC is below the COA, then you have need and will be considered for a need based package and work study. You are in pile A.
If you are a domestic student without need (your EFC was above approximately $72k) you are in pile B. You are not considered for any need based scholarships and cannot get work study. Pile B students are considered for MLK scholarships and talent scholarships in art and music through Steinhardt. I am not aware of other current merit scholarships at NYU without a need component.
Getting back to pile A. Everything awarded is based on need and merit. It doesn’t matter what name they have given a scholarship. It is still based on need. NYU will meet more need if they like you and want you to come. Admissions will have a say in that. That’s why appeals usually don’t work. Even if you show more need to them, if they weren’t going to meet your need because you weren’t their highest pick to begin with, it doesn’t change anything. The only appeal that will work is for top students who they are trying to give their best package to. Or an appeal that shows that you have some need and you were not being considered for any need based aid. (You we’re put in pile B in error.)
Years ago my D was put in pile B as a music major. Our EFC was high, but we were hoping for merit aid. Back then music students were awarded (through the department head) merit money for both academics and talent. Since my D had great grades, he put in for her to get an academic music merit award (no need—pile B). Well, we got our acceptance and she had no scholarship. Since D had done a summer program and the department head made clear that he wanted D to attend, I reached out to him. He was distraught to find out that this academic scholarship could no longer be processed without need. So he had to do an appeal on our behalf to the provost so D could be awarded a talent scholarship that could still be awarded without need. (The appeal had to be made since the department had already handed out all their non-need talent money to other students in pile B.)We had to wait 3 weeks, provide proof or other scholarships and eventually D was awarded an $11k talent merit scholarship (no need). That’s how I got my insight into the process.