We just spent the week looking at several schools in Boston and Amherst for my twins. I think that it was an admission advisor at Smith who told me that the higher the ACT and SAT scores, the more FA that is given at many schools.
True or not true?
Some private schools do practice “preferential packaging.” https://www.edmit.me/blog/2017/12/18/financial-aid-101-what-is-preferential-packaging
Since FA (Financial Aid) includes merit awards, the answer is yes, of course that’s true.
Absolutely true, actually many schools, the trick is trying to find out which one wants your student.
@BelknapPoint, yes, but she made it sound like it goes beyond normal merit awards… And I guess that could mean up to a full scholarship, but I was thinking you also need lots of EC’s, and fabulous essays, and whatever else they like… not “just” test scores.
What’s a “normal” merit award? A merit award can be based on a whole range of things. Just as you were told by the advisor at Smith, it’s not unusual for larger merit awards to go to those students with higher test scores.
I don’t think you can count on this. I think it does go on for hooked students sometimes. But not your average high stats kid.
It really depends on the school. Some schools do provide preferential packaging, but it is not necessarily tied to test scores.
But high test scores never hurt. 
And yes, there are some schools where high test scores alone could be the ticket to a full ride merit scholarship. (But probably not the schools you were touring in Boston and Amherst – schools use merit money to attract high caliber students who wouldn’t be likely to attend but for the money).