<p>My school announces each student's scholarship amount at the graduation ceremony. However, I am going to a Ivy, so my scholarship is technically not a "100% true" scholarship. But, they want it to be announced anyway.</p>
<p>So, basically, everyone in my town is going to know how much my parents make. Getting a Ivy league acceptance in my community happens once or twice in a decade, so all the jealous parents of other students who got hopelessly rejected by every single Ivy is going to put their eyes, and more importantly their guns, on me. I am already scared *****less (they have already turned hostile) and don't know what to do.</p>
<p>Anyways, do you think I should I try to stop the amount from being said, or say an approximate figure, or say something like "a large scholarship", or something else?</p>
<p>Yes, talk to them, since the Ivies are all need only, your ‘scholarship’ is by definition related to your family’s financial situation and therefore should not be used without your permission. That’s just my opinion, I know that when my D1 graduated, her HS was very happy to add all of her FA and merit monies to their total to make it look better.</p>
<p>Redroses, sometimes need based money is called ‘scholarships’ by colleges, I know my D1s school does this.</p>
<p>Thanks for all your advice. I explained that the ‘scholarship’ was not actually a true one and asked them to give a total of my FA and merit together from all the colleges without saying how many colleges (so other parents can’t calculate how much I got from each school). But, they insisted on saying scholarships from the school that I will be enrolling at. I am going to talk to them to see if they can just not announce it.</p>
<p>Things get complicated since my counselor is happy about these acceptances and want to tell it to the public. He is very nice and has good intentions but doesn’t realize what would happen if my FA details were released. I guess I will try to ask really nicely…</p>
<p>Make sure you explain your concerns and that he gets it. I can see why he would be surprised; most people don’t like “getting a scholarship” with threats of violent retribution and so he might not realize the reality of your situation and what might happen as a result of the announcement. He just sees it as a celebration and might not be thinking along that lines at all. I think once you ask him it won’t be too much trouble to either not mention the scholarships or to do as you suggested about actually naming the schools.</p>
<p>Yeah, I should try to explain it in detail and in person this time. (Last time, I called him from home since I don’t have a final today.)</p>
<p>And, I was joking about violent retribution. I am more scared of others trying to sabotage my younger sister who going’s to apply soon or trying to get me rescinded or something… I guess I am too paranoid. :)</p>
<p>Oh, it doesn’t just have to be violent. You and your family have a perfect right to shield yourself from threats or other kinds of harassment. Quite frankly, it’s a little disturbing that you have adults in this community who can’t control their envy to their point that you can’t even enjoy something like this because you have to be worried about their behavior.</p>
<p>I’ve never, ever, ever heard of FA being made public – let alone being announced at a graduation. </p>
<p>It’s beyond simply inappropriate, it’s a violation of your privacy. </p>
<p>News flash to your “counselor”: it’s nobody’s business where you got accepted (did they pay your application fees? I think not) and it’s not anyone’s business what scholarship or FA you are receiving.</p>
<p>I would tell them that either they keep their mouth shut or their once-in-a-decade ivy-bound graduate will be staying home on graduation day, thus neutering their ability to show you off like a prize-winning heifer.</p>
<p>I agree that if necessary you should involve your parents. The financial information they provided was confidential so no one but you has a right to reveal your need based FA awards.</p>
<p>I hope you didn’t give these HS clowns the FA info already - it is confidential info and they don’t have a right to it.</p>
<p>If you did tell them, then get your parents to write a letter AND FOLLOW UP IN A FACE TO FACE MEETING that expresses your desire for privacy. And be blunt about how MISERABLE and EMOTIONALLY THREATENED you feel by the lack of cooperation from the HS Administration about them releasing this information w/o your permission.</p>
<p>I’d boycott graduation if administration doesn’t start treating you with common everyday decency and respect. No brainer - stay home.</p>
<p>Don’t be so nice about this. What they are intending to do is a huge violation of privacy which they do not have permission to do. Put it in writing and send it to them. You are right to be concerned about this and I don’t think they understand what the issue is.</p>
<p>Do what you want about this but if “Getting a Ivy league acceptance in your community happens once or twice in a decade”, very few people in attendance will know that the Ivy’s give money based on need anyhow, so the talk will likely be about how smart you are, not how much money your family makes… It all gets kind of silly… </p>
<p>In our community they announce the amount of scholarships (including grants, need based funds and merit $) the kid was offered, from all schools they applied to (but they don’t mention that when they announce the amount). So “Little Johny” is going to State U. and has $153,000 in scholarships… The crowd cheers and the school pats themselves on the back about what a great job they are doing educating their kids, and Johny and his parents roll their eyes because they know that he was accepted at 7 schools (that together offered a total of $153,000) and that Stake U didn’t give him any aid…</p>
<p>I’m just plain flabbergasted that at least two people on this thread have high schools that announce college admissions and scholarships at graduation. </p>
<p>This is just the most bizarre and just plain wrong thing I’ve ever seen. None of this is anybody’s business and it has no place at graduation. </p>
<p>Is this a regional thing?
Where are you people from?</p>
<p>Sorry - to be clear, the local high school does not announce college admissions and scholarships at graduation, they announce them at Seniors Night (a special event for seniors and families).</p>
<p>I’m just chiming in here to say the same thing. Our school does an honor’s night and they announce all of the kids and what scholarship they received to the school they’re attending. However, most people didn’t include grants, as that’s personal info…</p>
<p>ALL of this is personal info.
Where you were admitted.
How much aid you received (of ANY kind).</p>
<p>Why don’t they just announce everybodys, GPA and SAT scores as well?
How about your cholesterol level and your resting heartrate while you are at it?</p>
<p>None of this is anybody’s business and I find it mildly disturbing that this practice seems to be so accepted.</p>
<p>I’ve never seen this done nor heard of it until I read it on this forum (I’m from the northeast if that matters).</p>
<p>Wouldn’t FERPA prevent the school from releasing this information without your consent? I would think this qualifies as part of your educational record.</p>
<p>I think you assume way too much about what the other parents will infer. It will probably be more on the range from “that kid is smart” to “that kid is not that smart”. The vast majority won’t know that your “scholarship” is need-based. </p>
<p>One good thing about announcing your college is that it will give other students the idea that they can aspire to go there too.</p>
I am more scared of others trying to sabotage my younger sister who going’s to apply soon or trying to get me rescinded or something… I guess I am too paranoid. :)</p>