Financial Aid - Merit based aid overtaking pure Need based support

Financial aid is probably one of the best things thatperfect SAT score, could not afford a college degree
could happen to students who cannot afford to attendand was never given a chance, is unethical, immoral
the college simply because they do not have theand insensitive.
financial means to do so. However, a recent studyMost of the financial aid given by universities is based
showed that colleges are deviating from their patternon merit. In a research done by Hossler and Zipskin of
of offering financial aid from students who really needIndiana University, it was claimed that “institutional
the financial aid to those who do not.financial aid may be going disproportionately to
The main aim of the financial aid is to help the studentsstudents who are more likely to persist overall.”
that need the money to continue with their studies. ButAlso, the students that really need financial aid are said
nowadays, the number of need based financial aid hasto perform better in their academics than those who
significantly dropped due to the merit based financialdid not need financial aid. This is because they have to
aid.keep up with a brilliant grade point average because
Students who have a perfect SAT score and aotherwise they might not be further considered for
strong academic background are usually given thefinancial aid. So they work more and harder because
financial aid regardless of whether they can afford itthey know if the financial aid is not offered they might
or not. And many times the students who get financialnot be able to continue their studies. Further, we must
aid based on merit can afford it, and are still preferredbe careful or government grants for needy families
over the needy students. Merit based aid is normallymay follow the same suit and are currently running the
used to draw remarkable students that would proverisk of shifting purely to merit based awards rather
to be an asset for the institution.than taking student needs into account.
This behavior is not only applied by the top notchThe purpose of financial aid is to help the
private institutions but also by the public colleges asdisadvantaged, and we have to keep this purpose in
well. The entire point of providing access to educationmind before giving away the aid.
to students who cannot afford it is being defied by thisIf you're stuck and need some help finding good
rule. To offer financial aid to a student just because heinformation online try using for finding the latest
might bring fame to the college even if he can affordinformation on financial aid to help you when you need
the tuition, over a student who was did not have theit most.