Yes, many smaller, perhaps less-known private colleges still offer academic merit aid of substantial value.

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Much of the research money governments disburse is allocated on academic merit, determined by peer review, not by bureaucratic fiat.

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This kind of financial aid is called academic merit aid, and few colleges offer it based just on grades and test scores alone.

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As universities select applicants on academic merit, less well-qualified Scottish students might be squeezed out and have to go to fee-charging English universities.

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So a school that offers no academic merit aid may still have scholarships available in niche areas, and you should ask about such possibilities.

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Mostly though, merit aid is academic in nature and if you have the grade, you get the aid.

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Management fashion (an academic term used neutrally, implying no judgment as to merit or durability) typically follows life cycles, with the distinction of fad or classic being determinable approximately five years after the fashion has gained momentum.

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Some colleges are raising the bar to qualify for both need- and merit-based scholarships, a trend that will likely continue next academic year, Mr. Draeger said.

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