#165 How Small Academic Changes Can Mean Big Merit Aid Dollars with Brian Eufinger

Flourish Coaching

Mar 11, 2025

In this episode, Lisa and Brian discuss:

Strategies for maximizing college scholarships given by the institutions
The difference in merit vs. need-based financial aid
The role of GPA and standardized testing, ACT and SAT, in scholarship awards
Colleges with merit scholarship grids where students can know the amount they can earn for good grades and scores
Transparency of college financial aid policies

Key Takeaways:

Merit aid is often more predictable than need-based aid because many colleges offer fixed scholarships based on GPA and ACT and SAT scores, making it easier to estimate college costs.
Skipping standardized tests can cost students thousands in scholarships, as many schools that are “test-optional” for admission still require test scores for merit aid or reduce the award if applying test optional.
At some universities, it is possible to calculate the number of additional correct answers on the ACT a student needs to raise their merit aid award, making test prep a highly valuable investment.
Over 90% of scholarship money comes directly from colleges rather than private sources, meaning that researching a school’s financial aid policies is more effective than chasing small external scholarships.

“When the airplane is going down, you put the mask on yourself first—you first, your kids second. The merit aid from the school is the ‘putting your mask on yourself’… after that, if a kid has free time, definitely apply to some of the outside scholarships.” – Brian Eufinger

About Brian Eufinger:

Brian Eufinger is the President of Atlanta-based Edison Prep and has tutored over 14,000 students for a combined 35,000+ hours on the SAT, PSAT, and ACT over the past two decades. A founding board member of the National Test Prep Association, he is frequently invited by school districts across the Southeast to lead out-of-state ACT boot camps. Brian is passionate about tracking test-optional admissions data and sharing strategies for reducing college costs through merit aid and scholarships. He regularly speaks on test prep, college admissions, and scholarships at PTSA meetings, webinars, and education podcasts.

Episode References:

Merit Aid Grids: https://meritaidgrids.com/

Student Email Template: How to Get Clear Answers About College Merit Aid https://www.flourishcoachingco.com/merit
#042 Will grade inflation hurt your teen with Brian Eufinger? https://www.flourishcoachingco.com/042

Get Lisa’s Free on-demand video: How-to guide for your teen to choose the right major, college, & career…(without painting themselves into a corner, missing crucial deadlines, or risking choices you both regret).

flourishcoachingco.com/video