How to Find the Best Merit Aid for College

financial aid

How to Find the Best Merit Aid (and Why It Matters More Than Ever)

For many families, the biggest misconception about college costs is this:

Sticker price is what you pay.

In reality, the families who approach college planning strategically often pay far less than full retail—sometimes dramatically less. Merit aid is a major reason why.

Merit scholarships aren’t about gaming the system or chasing loopholes. They’re about understanding how colleges allocate money and positioning students where they are most valued.

And when families understand how merit aid works, the process becomes far more empowering—and far less stressful.

A Reassuring Truth About Merit Aid

Colleges use merit aid for a very specific reason:

to attract students who strengthen their incoming class.

That means strong students are often more valuable to certain colleges than families realize.

If a student’s academic profile places them near the top of a college’s admitted pool, that school may offer significant merit scholarships as an incentive to enroll. This is sometimes referred to as preferential packaging—and it’s far more common than most families expect.

The key is knowing where those opportunities exist.

Why Merit Aid Is About Fit, Not Just Credentials

Merit aid is not awarded in a vacuum. It depends on how a student compares to other applicants at that specific institution.

A student who may not stand out at the most selective universities can become a top recruit at another excellent school—often one that:

Offers a fantastic education
Provides more access to professors and opportunities
Has a strong record of graduate school or career outcomes

This is why merit aid and college fit are deeply connected.

A Long-Term Perspective Families Often Miss

Families sometimes focus only on the first acceptance letter. But merit aid can have ripple effects well beyond undergraduate years.

A strategic path often looks like this:

Strong performance in high school
Significant merit aid at an academically strong college
Greater opportunity to stand out once enrolled
Strong preparation for competitive graduate or professional programs

When students thrive in the right environment, doors tend to open—academically and financially.

Using Data to Find Merit-Friendly Colleges

One of the most helpful ways to identify merit aid opportunities is to look at how a student’s academic profile compares to a college’s admitted students.

Many families are familiar with general data sites like CollegeData.com, which offer useful baseline information. But deeper insight often comes from tools designed specifically to surface merit-friendly schools.

One resource worth exploring is DIY College Rankings, created by Michelle Kretzschmar.

The tool allows families to:

View colleges sorted by 75th percentile test scores
See acceptance rates alongside merit aid participation
Compare average net price (a critical indicator of generosity)
Identify schools that do—and do not—report test scores

Looking at 75th percentile data is particularly useful because students in the top quarter of an admitted class are statistically more likely to receive merit aid.

It’s a simple way to identify colleges where a strong student may be especially competitive—and especially valued.

Why This Approach Is Reassuring for Parents

Merit aid planning doesn’t require chasing prestige or taking unnecessary risks.

It allows families to:

Expand options rather than narrow them
Reduce financial pressure without sacrificing quality
Make decisions based on outcomes, not headlines

And perhaps most importantly, it replaces anxiety with clarity.

A Final Perspective

If you have a strong student, it’s reasonable to ask an important question:

Why pay full price if you don’t have to?

Merit aid isn’t guaranteed—but it is discoverable. And with the right data and a thoughtful strategy, families can often uncover opportunities they didn’t know existed.

At College Application Solutions, we help families understand how merit aid fits into the bigger admissions picture—so decisions feel informed, intentional, and financially sustainable.

Because the goal isn’t just getting into college.

It’s getting into the right college, at the right price.