FAQ
Everything we get asked.
Answered straight. No marketing fluff.
Is this just AI-generated results?
No. We use AI-powered research tools to cast a wide net, but every strategy is reviewed and refined by a human analyst. The AI identifies candidates. A person verifies eligibility, checks stacking rules, and builds the prioritized strategy.
How is this different from Fastweb, Scholarships.com, or Bold.org?
Those are search engines. You enter basic info and get a list of scholarships to browse. MeritPlaybook takes your full profile, researches every angle, and delivers a strategy document: which scholarships to pursue, which to skip, how they stack at each school, what order to apply in, and what your realistic aid range looks like.
What if my student doesn’t get any scholarships?
Scholarship awards are never guaranteed, regardless of the service or tool. We guarantee a thoroughly researched strategy that maximizes your student’s chances. If you’re not satisfied with the quality of your playbook, we’ll revise it based on your feedback at no extra cost.
Can I update my profile after I get my playbook?
Yes. If your student’s profile changes significantly (new test scores, different target schools, a new activity or award), you can request an update. Minor updates are included. Substantial re-research may incur an additional fee, which we’ll discuss with you upfront.
What information do you need from us?
The more we know, the better your strategy. Our intake form covers academics (GPA, test scores, class rank), extracurriculars, heritage and faith background, intended major, target schools, geographic preferences, and any special circumstances. It takes about 15–20 minutes to complete thoroughly.
How long does delivery take?
Most playbooks are delivered within 48–72 hours of completing your intake form. During peak application seasons (August–October), it may take up to 5 business days. We’ll confirm your expected delivery date when we receive your profile.
Is $249 worth it?
The average family spends 40–80+ hours researching scholarships on their own and still misses opportunities. If your playbook identifies even one scholarship you wouldn’t have found, or steers you away from one that would reduce your institutional aid, it has more than paid for itself.
What's your refund policy?
If you're not satisfied with the quality of your playbook, we revise it based on your feedback at no extra cost. If a revised playbook still doesn't meet expectations, reach out via our contact page and we'll work it out. We don't issue automatic refunds because every playbook represents real research time, but we don't keep money for work the family genuinely didn't get value from.
Can you guarantee my student will win scholarships?
No, and anyone who tells you otherwise is selling you something they can't deliver. Scholarship awards depend on the awarding organization, the applicant pool, and factors no third party controls. What we guarantee is a thoroughly researched strategy that maximizes the chances at every angle: which awards stack at your target schools, which to skip, what order to apply in, and what your realistic aid range looks like school by school.
How is this different from a college counselor or independent educational consultant?
College counselors typically charge $3,000 to $15,000 for a multi-month engagement that covers admissions, essays, school list building, and sometimes financial aid. MeritPlaybook is $249 for a one-time strategy document focused entirely on merit aid and scholarship stacking. We don't help with admissions or essays. We don't run a multi-month coaching relationship. If you need full-service admissions help, hire an IEC. If you need a focused merit aid strategy, that's what we do.
Can you help with admissions or college essays?
No. We focus on merit aid and scholarship strategy, which is a deep specialty in itself. Admissions and essay coaching are different products with different expertise. We're happy to recommend other resources if you need that support.
What if my student is already a senior and decisions come out soon?
We can still help, especially if you haven't accepted an offer yet. A late-stage playbook focuses on which acceptances to revisit for appeal, which institutional aid offers can be improved, and which late-deadline outside scholarships are still worth pursuing. The financial aid appeal letter strategy alone has changed the picture for several families.
What if my student doesn't have target schools yet?
That's fine. The intake form has a section for geographic preferences, school size preference, intended major, and any schools you're already considering. We use that to identify a working list of merit-friendly target schools as part of the playbook. If you already have a list, we work with it. If you don't, we build one.
Do you work with international students?
Not currently. Our research is focused on US institutional merit aid, federal aid (FAFSA, CSS Profile), and US scholarship programs. International student aid follows different rules at different schools and isn't something we can do justice to right now.
What if my student is homeschooled or attends a non-traditional school?
Homeschool students are a strong fit for merit aid because their academic profiles often differ from traditional applicants in ways schools value. The intake form has a section for education context including homeschool, dual enrollment, and online programs. We've researched merit aid policies at every school we cover with homeschool admissions in mind.
What if my student is a transfer student?
Transfer merit aid follows different rules than freshman merit aid at most schools. Some schools have generous transfer merit programs, others have almost none. We can do a transfer-focused playbook that covers transfer merit thresholds, articulation agreements where relevant, and the smaller pool of transfer-eligible outside scholarships.
Who actually works on my playbook?
Every playbook runs through a multi-model AI research pass using the Ask Three AI methodology Paul Takisaki built, then a human analyst verifies every claim against the source and writes the strategy, then a second reviewer checks the draft for voice and accuracy. The human analyst's initials appear in the final delivery. We don't sell anonymous AI reports.
How current is your data?
Institutional merit policies, award amounts, and stacking rules change. We pull from the school's own financial aid pages and Common Data Set filings at the time we research your playbook, and every claim is dated and sourced. If a school updates its policy after we deliver, the playbook represents the rules at the time of research. For high-impact changes, families can request a free update within 30 days.
What data sources do you use?
Every school's own financial aid page, the Common Data Set filings each school publishes, the Department of Education's College Scorecard, the College Board, named scholarship organizations' own application materials, and verified institutional merit databases. Multi-model AI research surfaces candidates; human verification confirms every dollar amount, threshold, and stacking rule against the source.
Is my information private?
Yes. Intake responses are stored in a database with row-level security and accessed only by the analyst working on your playbook. We don't sell your data, don't use it for advertising, and don't share it with anyone outside the team writing your playbook. Full details are in our Privacy Policy.
Question we didn’t answer? Send us a noteand we’ll add it to the list. Or see a real sample playbookif you’re ready to evaluate the deliverable.