While many private schools—especially the big names in the Ivy League—offer financial aid based on need, there exists a network of colleges and universities that reward good students with scholarships.

They may not be the valedictorians of their high school graduating classes, but strong students can still find money. The New York Times recently published a list of schools that offer merit-based aid. The good news for B students in WNY is that a handful of Buffalo-area college and universities are on that list, along with some helpful statistics regarding the percentage of incoming freshmen who receive merit aid:

Canisius College: 14 percent
Hilbert College: 7 percent
Medaille College: 2 percent
Niagara University: 13 percent
UB: 3 percent
Villa Maria College: 1 percent

A related New York Times article further explains the trend toward merit-based money:

“Rather than lose bright students to less-expensive public colleges, universities like Tulane offer sizable amounts of aid based mainly on academic promise.

While there are no national statistics post-recession, an Education Department study released last fall showed that the percentage of students receiving merit aid grew so rapidly from 1995 to 2008 that it rivaled the number of students receiving need-based aid.”

Canisius College, located on Main Street in Buffalo, offers the most incoming freshmen merit-based scholarships of schools in Buffalo or surrounding suburbs.

“A college education is a significant investment for students and their parents,” Richard A. Wall, Canisius’ interim vice president for academic affairs, said in a statement. “Canisius College understands this and is committed to providing a high-quality education that is both valuable for students and affordable for parents.”

Photo courtesy of Flickr / j.o.h.n. walker.