Depending on the institution, you will be asked to fill out certain forms (e.g. FASFA and CSS) and provide certain documentation (e.g tax returns). Link to MIT page https://sfs.mit.edu/undergraduate-financial-aid/aid-info#320 For schools that offer merit scholarships, there are likely separate forms to complete and submit. For schools that accept your son, they will provide a detailed financial aid package at that time (how much, what type). Unless you applied ED (in which case you are stuck with that school – MIT is EA), you definitely should compare packages and you might even have the opportunity to get better aid by showing a superior aid package from one school to another and asking the second school to “match”, especially if they are “peer” schools competing for similar students.