Is it worth it to apply to schools you can't afford?

Some colleges’ NPCs list only estimated need-based aid and do not mention possible merit scholarships, for which the potential applicant may have to dig around the colleges’ web sites.

However, competitive merit scholarships should generally be considered reach or high reach, since there is little information available on how selective they are (e.g. how strong students were who historically were awarded the scholarships). If not otherwise affordable, admission without sufficient scholarships is the same as rejection.