Focus on Merit Aid vs. Need Based?

[nocturnalduck]

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@FooMonChew

MIT, without a doubt a great school. Many here won’t qualify for much need based aid so they’re searching for schools with merit aid. MIT gives NO merit aid (understandably so, all the admits have great stats). </p>

<p>Early action and it sounds like you needed aid, hope that worked out. That’s not a route someone with an EFC of 20K or higher can chance (early action route), the school might decide there’s no need (they’re a CSS profile school).</p>

<p>Although I don’ t think their FA is a good as HYP. Did you get good aid in the end?

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<p>As notrichenough said, you are confusing Early Action with Early Admission. MIT’s Early Action is non-restrictive and non-binding, which means that you can apply to as many schools as you want in both early and regular action cycles. This also means that Early Action admits do not get less finaid than Regular Action admits. The fact that they are on CSS profile has no relation to this. </p>

<p>MIT does not give merit aid, as you correctly observed. </p>

<p>And finally, it all worked out quite nicely My aid package was affordable and appropriate.</p>