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Merit aid and finding colleges
Some colleges give scholarships for grades and test scores, whatever your family's finances. Enter a child's grades and scores and AidAhead shows what each college may offer, and adds it to the four-year cost.
Steps
- Tap Family, then Children, and enter the child's unweighted GPA and SAT or ACT score. All are optional.
- Tap Colleges, then a college, to see its merit scholarship and its outside-scholarship rule.
- To look for colleges, tap Colleges, then Find colleges. Use Filters and Sort, then tap a dot in the chart or a row.
- Tap Add to put a college on the child's list.
Good to know
Likely automatic award
A few colleges publish a table: this GPA and score earns this much. When yours fits a row, we show it with its conditions, such as a deadline or keeping a minimum GPA. It is not a guarantee.
Typical award
Most selective colleges don't publish a table. We show what students who got merit aid and no need-based aid typically received, and how many students that was. This is not added to your cost.
Outside scholarships
When a student wins a scholarship from outside the college, some colleges reduce their own aid by that amount, first reducing loans and work, others reduce grants. Each college's rule is on its page.
Free plan and Aid Season
Merit estimates show with the one college whose estimate is free, and for every college with Aid Season. Finding colleges is always free.
Privacy
Grades and scores stay in this family file on your device. They are used only here and are never sent anywhere.
Estimates, not advice
Awards change every year and colleges decide each case. Check each college's own page. The FAFSA® is free at studentaid.gov.