<p>Parents, have you had a child that started out with one major accompanied by a merit scholarship from that particular college (the engineering school, let's say), then really didn't like the major and changed after the first semester or yer (perhaps to business, for example).</p>
<p>Is the merit scholarship awarded for engineering then a total loss or might the university continue a general merit scholarship if the student was a high achiever,just now studying business instead of engineering? I'm guessing it's a loss, but I wondered if anyone had experience with this.</p>
<p>Just trying to sort things out over these last few weeks before deposit is paid.</p>
<p>That’s such a specific question, I think your best bet is to ask the school(s) in question.</p>
<p>The scholarship should specify whether it is tied to a specific major or group of majors.</p>
<p>I used to work at a university that most scholarships offered to incoming freshmen were college specific so if a student changed majors and the new major was in a different college, then, yes, the student lost the scholarship.</p>
<p>I thought it was a terrible system because some students had to leave the university because they couldn’t afford to stay. </p>
<p>The best thing to do is call the school and ask.</p>
<p>If the scholarship is funded by that dept, then it makes sense that the student would lose the scholarship if he changes majors.</p>
<p>What does the “fine print” say on the scholarship award? Does it at least say, “Engineering Scholarship”?</p>
<p>While it may seem unfair, it’s often the dept that is funding those awards, not the university, so the university isn’t going to pay when the student changes majors.</p>
<p>My kids’ undergrad offers large university-wide scholarships regardless of major. However, the College of Eng’g offers supplemental scholarships…when kids leave eng’g, that merit stops but the university one continues. </p>
<p>Contact the schools and ask for specifics. Get any favorable answers IN WRITING.</p>
<p>My S1 had a merit scholarship that was awarded by his college major dept. It was endowed by a donor and specifically for that college. Almost all the merit scholarships in his dept. were endowed by outside sources. S1 had to write a letter every year to the donor of his scholarship thanking him and updating him on what S1 was doing in his major. If he had changed majors, he would have lost the scholarship.</p>
<p>Thanks all. She did get the paperwork on the scholarship today which clearly states she needs to stay in that school. </p>
<p>So many decisions to make, as we sort out all these packages!</p>