<p>I have found it valuable to look at the US News and World Report list of schools in their Ultimate College Guide under " Where the Money iS: Schools that award the most need based aid". The last two columns of that list have the average merit award and the % of students receiving merit awards. This give a person a running start on what schools even give out merit money, if financial aid is not going to happen, but the money is not there, and how much is available. Most schools do give out some merit. Even the top 25 schools usually have about half that do. but when you see that 5% figure for Duke, and the high average amount , you know that there, you either hit a lottery ticket jackpot or it’s full pay, baby, if you don’t have need. Wheeras at GW or Case Western, with a kid with the stats that make Duke a not out of the realm choice for the list, getting some merit money, is not so far fetched of a hope. </p>
<p>The Catholic and other religiously associated schools, are taking a big hit in terms of having to discount sticker prices, I have seen. My son got a very nice award from the top Catholic school in a major city that brought that cost down to below the OOS public cost there, and I think that school is priced to be only a small premium over the state schools for instaters and gives sweet discounts to students that have good stats. So they have a market with those kids who get into Big State U with no financial aid and no merit. They offer a smaller school with some more flexibility and a cost at least a good $10K below what Big State would cost, maybe even more of a discount. That can mean a big difference over 4 years.</p>