Chart: Generous Colleges That Claim to Admit Only on Merit

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I got into Wesleyan and Vassar this year.
For Wesleyan, I have to pay less than $1,800/year with no loans.
Still waiting for Vassar's financial package.
And to S. Bell:
Merit meaning mostly SAT, SAT IIs, AP scores, essays and activities. GPA comes last and it barely counts.

John Smith (Anonymous) of NY 2:56PM March 31, 2010

Jay, the following schools are need blind to international students:
MIT, Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Massachusetts
Harvard University in Massachusetts
Princeton University in New Jersey
Yale University in Connecticut
Williams College in Massachusetts
Dartmouth College in New Hampshire
Amherst College in Massachusetts
Just because a school is need blind, doesn't mean that it meets full need and vice versa.
Unfortunately, it is hard for most domestic students to pay for college, let alone international students. It does not help that most endowments aren't doing well.
There are schools who give merit aid "need" based aid to international students but don't guarantee to meet full need.

LuLu of GA 5:26PM March 24, 2010

I am still unsureof FA for international students?? as we hear majority of the aid is for all american citizens, sp, for undergraduate studies.
I have both my fingers crossed as we await admission decisions until next week. We had to actually suppress my elder daughter's dreams of studuing in the US for her undergraduate in the US.
Applying to the colleges higher in ranking does make it more competitive, but these universities also encourage more and more students to apply. Is this just a gimmick to collect more application fees or mammoth number of applications to showcase on the websites?? sp. from world over!! or a publicity stunt?
International/needblind FA - a hogwash or for real??

Jayshree 4:54AM March 24, 2010

I find that when discussing a topic, it is wise to define the terms at issue. What exactly is "Merit." Is it marks? APs? SAT's? Does it include racial quotas? "Diversity"? It would help if this had been defined since we could have different views as to what merit includes.

S. Bell of NY 3:07PM March 23, 2010

I know for a fact that a number of these schools are need blind. Williams, Amherst, and Swarthmore colleges all presented outstanding FA awards to both my children who are 3 years apart. We are a middle class family who earned apx 80,000/yr. Both my children have less than 5000 in student loan debt. So, yes it is true they are need blind!

DJ of NY 11:31PM March 22, 2010