<p>Hello there! I have a question about accepting merit-based university scholarships.
I've been admitted and offered a scholarship to a university. I'm fairly certain I won't be attending there, as I've been accepted to another school that I like more, but I want to keep my options open for now. </p>
<p>Anyway, I was wondering if I was allowed to accept the scholarship even if I'm unsure on attending? It says that accepting the scholarship is non-binding, but I wasn't sure if accepting the scholarship was something you don't do unless you know you're going. As in, will it bar my other college options by accepting the scholarship? I hope this makes sense, aha. Thank you!</p>
<p>Why do you want to accept the scholarship when you are not attending?</p>
<p>You know you can keep your options open by just waiting for all your acceptances or rejections to come in, don’t you? The offer letters usually list the date you need to accept by, I believe it’s May of next year. You have plenty of time.</p>
<p>What’s the deadline for when you have to notify the school that you will take the scholarship?</p>
<p>Accept it now so that it will be available if you do decide to attend.</p>
<p>It would be extremely unusual for this scholarship to affect your admissions/aid at other institutions. Perhaps if it is at a public U and there is some kind of policy whereby a student can only accept one big scholarship at one public U in that state - but I truly can’t imagine it causing any kind of conflict.</p>
<p>As soon as you decide where you will go, and commit to that U, if it is a different one, let this one know so that the scholarship can be awarded to another student.</p>
<p>Such bad advice ! Until it’s past the deadline for acceptance, it will still be available if you decide to attend.</p>
<p>If you accept now, the school will assume that you are going, they will start the paper work to prepare for your attendance. You will be receiving all kinds of mail. It’s a waste of their time and efforts. They are kind enough to give you that offer, you should have the courtesy of being straight with them.</p>
<p>Thank you all! I apologize for late response.
I’m unsure if I’ll be attending or not, that’s why I was unsure, aha.</p>
<p>All good advice, I really appreciate everyone’s feedback!!
I do believe Fire’s makes the most sense though, so long as I do not have to accept until May 1, I’d rather leave it sitting in case I do not attend. I’ll call admissions and make sure, but I think that would be correct.</p>
<p>Thank you everyone again!</p>
<p>We had a similar scholarship issue when DD applied. They wanted an immediate answer. She politely contacted them and explained that she wanted an extension because she had not yet made a matriculation decision. The school was fine with that and gave her until May 1.</p>