Does Cornell or Duke offer more merit aid for undergraduates?

Duke is much more relevant if you are specifically looking for undergraduate merit aid. Duke offers a small set of high-profile merit scholarships, including programs like the Robertson Scholars Leadership Program, while Cornell is known primarily for need-based financial aid and does not commonly award broad merit scholarships to first-year undergraduates.

For a student whose family income may limit affordability but who will not qualify for enough need-based aid, Duke is the school where merit money is at least part of the landscape. The catch is that Duke’s merit awards are extremely competitive, limited in number, and often tied to exceptional leadership, academic distinction, or a specific scholarship nomination and selection process.

Cornell fits a different kind of applicant financially. If your family is likely to qualify for substantial need-based aid, Cornell can still be very affordable, but that affordability usually comes from demonstrated financial need rather than non-need-based scholarships. In other words, Cornell is not the place most students should count on for merit discounts.

If merit aid is a major factor in the comparison, Duke deserves more attention, but only with realistic expectations because very few students receive those awards. Cornell should be evaluated mainly through its net price calculator and need-based aid policies, not through the hope of merit scholarships.