Is a merit scholarship or need-based aid more reliable for all four years of college?

Both can renew, but each has different risks. Need-based aid recalculates every year from a new FAFSA, so it can rise or fall as your family's income and assets change, a raise, a home sale, or a sibling leaving college can shrink it. Merit scholarships are usually promised for a set number of years but almost always carry a minimum GPA or credit-hour condition; drop below it and the award can vanish. When comparing offers, read the renewal terms closely: ask whether a merit award is guaranteed at the same dollar amount, whether it keeps pace with tuition increases, and exactly what GPA sustains it. A big freshman-year package that quietly shrinks later can make a school pricier than it first appeared.