<p>I am wondering if anyone else's student has received an invitation to apply for a scholarship. My S has, at a school not his favorite but quite acceptable. His confusion is is that he doesn't feel he meets the stated criteria for the scholarship and is wondering why they would have invited him to apply. He meets some but not all of their criteria. The scholarship is quite an exceptional package for those chosen, and it is tempting as well as an exciting thought, but just has created some confusion as to why they would have sent him the invite? and should he go ahead and apply even though he doesnt feel he meets the criteria?</p>
<p>It’s fairly common to receive these offers even from schools that you haven’t solicited info from. When students take standardized tests and checks FA boxes, etc., and provide certain data, or sign up on websites like Princeton Review, etc. schools will find those students and flood them with all kinds of offers–merit scholarships/honors colleges/free and expedited applications, etc. They don’t know everything about the students, but those that meet certain criteria will be put on mailing lists. It’s more or less a fishing expedition, and it’s up to the students to decide whether the offers have actual merit for them. Sometimes it doesn’t hurt to apply for a scholarship even if one doesn’t meet all of the criteria–as long as it’s not the one central to its nature–a sighted student probably shouldn’t apply for a scholarship designated for someone who is blind, for example!</p>
<p>Actually this is a school he has applied to and he received the scholarship invite after the application was submitted, and it came through the scholarship office.</p>
<p>It seemed a little more specific than the ones you are talking about.</p>
<p>expatme - we are in the exact same situation. My son got an invitation yesterday to apply for a certain scholarship at a school he has applied to. From your description, I suspect it’s the same school, and he’s the same - he meets some but not all of the criteria described. This invitation came to the email address that he created specifically for applying, so no one except a college he applied to would be able to contact him this way. I couldn’t help but wonder if they sent this out to a ton of applicants.</p>
<p>What is the downside to accepting the invitation to apply for a scholarship? Perhaps the admissions office was told to flag all applications meeting a test score cut-off. Chances for big scholarships to top schools are pretty small under any circumstances, but what’s to lose?</p>
<p>Is this a school that “officially” requires a separate scholarship application?</p>
<p>^ think it may be the same school DS applied to (and was accepted to), and his GPA clearly does not make the cutoff described in the letter. I’m assuming it was sent based on his great ACT which is well above the minimum. The thing “to lose” is the time and effort needed to write yet another specific essay, which is fine if there is a chance of getting the big award, but if there’s no chance at all…</p>
<p>I’ve been on scholarship committees, and have seen students get scholarships even though their gpa was under the guidelines. Sometimes a student has other attributes that the university/organization wants to support, so the student will be selected despite not meeting the official criteria.</p>
<p>If your offspring is invited to apply for a scholarship, I doubt that the university is trying to waste their time. Your offspring should submit the best app they can, and they may get scholarship. They should not make any excuse for their gpa unless asked. No need to point out a problem that the committee may overlook.</p>
<p>That makes sense about GPA or other number criteria ( like SAT/ACT scores) but when it is something specific that sounds like it is a requirement, as in a certain type of community service, that just is not there seems a little unusual. I suppose the committe may have leeway in their guidelines for adherence that are not as obvious in the written criteria.</p>
<p>Dont pay anything to apply to a scholarship.
Some colleges automatically submit you in the scholarship consideration for broad based GPA and ACT based scholarships/</p>
<p>I would say go for it. We were quite surprised at the scholarships our daughter got; you never know. Your son may get the scholarship and also decide the school is where he wants to be.</p>