<p>If merit aid is important, don’t bother with Swarthmore, unfortunately. I believe the same is true of Amherst and Williams. That kind of school already gets more merit-level kids than they can handle and don’t give merit scholarship.</p>
<p>However, I have heard great things about Brandeis and Case Western Reserve–I know a really smart kid who got a great scholarship to the latter. And sometimes applying to Brandeis is even free (my kid got an invitation to apply for free–does everyone? Not sure). I’ve heard great things about Carnegie Mellon. And if you really want to save money and have a sciency kid, don’t forget Cooper Union in New York City. It’s free!</p>