I’ve been awarded a scholarship by my school that’s worth $20,000 for four years. The scholarship requires that I maintain a 3.3 GPA. I haven’t been able to maintain the GPA requirement for the past two years. I’ve always fell below with a 3.0. The scholarship was pulled from me after my first year, but I appealed it and got it back for my second year. I still came out with a 3.0 GPA after my second year. That scholarship is going to be taken away from me for good, but I have been meeting the requirements for a lower scholarship that’s worth $10,000 for four years and has a GPA requirement of 3.0. Do you think I could negotiate with my school’s financial aid office to give me the lower scholarship for my last two years? They also give this scholarship to transfer students who have spent their first two years at a community college. I also do demonstrate financial need according to the FAFSA.
Ask at your school. Maybe they will give you that other award…and maybe they won’t.
Certainly you can ask – and you should ask. (The worst that can happen is that they could say no, but that just leaves you in the same position you would be without asking).
But if you have been giving the $20K scholarship already for 2 years, including the 2nd year after failing to meet the GPA requirements in year #1 – then the college has already given you $40K, which is the equivalent of 4 years of the $10K scholarship.
“then the college has already given you $40K, which is the equivalent of 4 years of the $10K scholarship.”
I have a feeling this is probably what they’ll say, but it’s worth a shot.
@calmom Just to let you know, the school has already given me $10,000 not $40,000. The scholarship is $5,000 per year for four years for a total of $20,000. The amount is broken up to $2,500 each Fall and Winter. But I understand your point.
You have had 10K, and now you want to ask for 10K for the lower GPA req scholarships (which is 10K total, i.e what you already have been given). You see how that is going to play out?
No, I think Devin wants to ask for $2500 for next year (rather than $5000 per year, which is what was given for years #1 and years #2).
My point remains the same: the college is likely to turn him down, but there’s no harm in asking.
Not asking = no chance, no money
Asking = some chance of getting some money.
Even if it is only a very slim chance, it’s better than a lottery ticket…
I do think from the OP’s other posts that there is a bigger problem than the money, which is that the OP is having a tough time keeping up with science classes at a very competitive public U. The OP may need to reconsider choice of major, because it is the STEM classes that are bringing down the GPA – and perhaps there is a non-STEM major that would better serve this student in the long run.
If you don’t get the lower scholarship, do you expect to receive enough aid to be able to continue school?
You might talk to the dean of students also as a supporter. You are progressing toward a degree. Yes, ask. They are capable of moving money buckets and you are halfway to your degree.
Back when I was entering school, one of my college classmates said he had turned down a full tuition scholarship in favor of a 1/2 scholarship with a lower GPA requirement, since his financial need would still be met.