<p>If a student at Harvard is receiving aid from Harvard, saying they “might have need” is misleading: A Harvard student receives aid if and only if he/she has financial need (as determined by Harvard—not the FAFSA form.)</p>
<p>I have no problem with Harvard’s method of determining who gets aid and who doesn’t. And I agree—any student who gets into Harvard is “worthy” of a “scholarship.”</p>
<p>But I think the problem that causes the resentment of some upper middle class folks is that they don’t see or understand why their own “worthy” kid whose been accepted by Harvard doesn’t get a “scholarship” simply because the family earns too much money or has significant assets and Harvard decides the family has no financial need.</p>
<p>More careful reading of the information posted on college websites <em>ought</em> to help folks in this situation determine whether they’re likely to be able to afford the place if they’re high enough up the economic ladder to have a large EFC.</p>
<p>But let’s face facts: Most Americans don’t read instructions or detailed information that closely, but they do listen to popular media and every time they hear or read about a low-income kid getting a “full scholarship” to a place like Harvard, I think they do tend to (1) ignore the “low-income” part of the description of the kid and (2) assume the scholarship was based on the kid’s academic stats and not his/her family’s income. Both are actions are simply wrong, but that doesn’t stop folks from doing them.</p>
<p>seriously, what DIFFERENCE does it make?!?!</p>
<p>while u–the original poster–are stressing out over the different shades of meaning, the families/kids getting the $$ aren’t thinking twice. all they know (or care about) is that it doesn’t have to be paid back!</p>
<p>I know the rules, and I wouldn’t expect my kid to get a scholarship to prestigious X school just because a low-income kid did, but I resent the implication that the low-income kid is “better” than any other kid accepted to that same prestigious school.</p>
<p>Which some people would assume on reading the newspaper article about this wonderful kid who got a full scholarship to prestigious X school. And either the reporter or the parents themselves believe. (or both.)</p>
<p>Edit: And I agree, it’s not a big huge deal. Just one of those things that CC cognoscenti would catch. :)</p>
<p>The problem would be if your kid applied to or is going to the same (or similar) college, and DIDN’T get a (need based) “scholarship.” The other parent might be thinking that it has been revealed that your kid is obviously not as smart as their kid, since your kid was not awarded a “scholarship” and his kid was. OTOH, you are thinking, “Wow, I didn’t realize their income was so low. . .”</p>
<p>It feels like your kid is being put down. You wish those other parents knew the truth about need-based aid so they wouldn’t brag about it so much.</p>
<p>Also, in some cases it comes down to “work hard, save your $, and pay it all.” Then watch your neighbor slack off, waste $, and have everything paid FOR his kid. Although you both end up in the same place (BROKE) after 4 years, it doesn’t seem fair. To have your neighbor thinking his kid is smarter than yours adds insult to injury.</p>
<p>I appreciate it when the distinction is made, as well. In our case both my kids got substantial merit awards at our flagship public - I know they were merit-based because I never filed any financial aid forms at all. So I don’t like it when people hearing about it assume that we had financial need - we never asked for any financial aid, and although the merit aid certainly made our lives vastly easier - need had nothing to do with it.</p>
<p>I guess when it bugs me (either mixing need based with merit or calling something a free ride when it isn’t) is when it comes from teachers who should know better. They go around bragging that this or that student got a free ride or scholarhip to here or there, trying to inspire the students…but if that “free ride” is really just half tuition at a very expensive school, it can be misleading to the younger students. You could have a kid growing up thinking he is going to attend a DIII school on a soccer scholarhip, then get to almost the end of HS and be unpleasantly surprised. I’m forgiving of grandparents and other relatives who inaccurately brag about scholarhips, but the folks at the schools need to get it right.</p>
<p>I don’t resent need-based financial aid at all; I think it is essential and took what they gave me when I needed it thirty years ago. However, as several other posters have said, it is irksome when people say kids got scholarships at need-only schools and imply that it is because they are more qualified than other accepted students. My guess is that at most schools, except at the very tippy top, the money given is tied to merit.</p>
<p>That family whose son is going to West Point–some posts back-- must not have read the literature. They will all be thrilled when they see that he will get a monthly paycheck!</p>
<p>A few years ago a gentleman on this forum and I had a long “discussion” (a nice way of putting it, it was not pleasant) because I made the same mistake with some kid’s situation saying he got “merit aid” when the school just gives need based aid. He even questioned whether I was really who I was (a software developer) and I was upset. On my part it was a genuine mistake but careless nevertheless. I did not know because:
My son did not qualify for need-based aid and would not as long as he was our dependent.
My son’s grades and scores were not good enough for merit-based aid.</p>
<p>So in effect, I was ignorant, but I said another kid got “merit aid” because of some rumors I had heard. Anyway, I still remember the dressing-down I got on CC as if it was yesterday. Quite humiliating. :)</p>
<p>But I agree - we, parents and participants should be careful about what we say about merit aid because it is misleading to many people.</p>
<p>Also, if there are any educators reading this, to the younger crowd, saying “I got a scholarship to X for Y” often means that you got a full scholarhip/didn’t have to pay. I’m not saying that you have to tell kids that the scholarship you received for being in the All State choir was only for $2500, but it would be great to add something like “that paid for part of college.” I know a few kids who really thought that making all state choir meant a free ride in college, because of a teacher’s misleading statements.</p>
<p>I am having difficulty fathoming these comments. For my kid who got scholarships from a need only based aid school, I don’t comprehend how I or anyone in such a position, would be implying that they got scholarships for being more qualified or smarter! They got the scholarship based on a need based formula! For a recipient to say otherwise is not understanding the system. Don’t assume that someone who states that they got a scholarship that they BELIEVE it was due to merit. I don’t believe that for my kid who went to a need only school and know it to not be true and so why infer that people like us THINK that? It is a true statement that my kid got a scholarship that will help us fund her education. That has no implication that she is smarter or more qualified. It is a need based school. Anyone who knows that, understands that. Why infer that the person stating it means something that is not true?</p>
<p>Also with regard to the first quote, to insinuate that those who receive need based aid slacked off and wasted money so that they could get something for free is misguided, untrue, and harsh. It seems you resent that some people earn less than others and that it is somehow unfair that they receive a discount on tuition and that the school just doesn’t limit it to full pay customers. Why not be happy that you earn a living that can afford full tuition? Getting financial aid doesn’t make those who get it have it any easier. The tuition we pay is more commensurate with our income. We are not now rolling in the dough because we got a discount on tuition!</p>
<p>Don’t also assume that if you are deemed to be “full pay” that you should be thankful. Full pay may mean that you qualify for big loans. Doesn’t mean you are rolling in the dough either. Thankful for the ability to take out a big loan, where if I were a slacker and quit my job, some of those loans would be grants that I wouldn’t have to pay back.</p>
<p>Remember, that most of the kids who got need based scholarships, also had loans as part of the package. We’ll be paying loans back for both children for many years to come as well.</p>
<p>It is confusing to those coming behind to hear HS stories of full rides & scholarships that end up being need based aid. Many people’s sum total of research into college $ is talking with others at their HS, if one hears over & over that kids get big scholarships to XYZ school and directs their DS/DD to apply there, it is true some additional research was missing, but also that the info heard was misleading.</p>
<p>I learned the hard way on my DD that 10 years ago (before home equity limits) a Profile school was a poor selection for us, whilst classmates received “full packages” at PSYCHM type schools.</p>
<p>The other confusing & frustrating issue is when the family (grandparents, aunties & uncles, etc) believes the stories they hear about all these scholarships and wants to know why your kid is not smart enough for those It would just be nice if reporters and school employees could be a bit more clear as to how it works. Just the line in each story that some schools give merit aid and some only give need based aid, but both may call it scholarships could clarify for some people.</p>
<p>Another consideration, a family may not wish to share their financial situation with the GC or the community; I remember one year reading the names in the local paper of the kids who got CalGrants, I would not want my need based aid published for all to see! Yikes! But the school was bragging about scholarships awarded. I also may not want to tell my HS GC the depth or breadth of my financial need and should be able to find out how things work without having to reveal all…thank goodness for CC!</p>
<p>It seems that the word scholarship is open to debate. Some feel it automatically implies merit (hence the scholar in scholarship), but others take it to mean any grant money from schools, merit or need-based.</p>
<p>I don’t call the need-based money we received a scholarship, but I have no problem with people who do.</p>
<p>I had all the money saved for college, but business reversals (my H’s business) caused me to spend the money to bail out his business. Thus, the FA. Believe me, I would rather have been able to pay for all myself.</p>
<p>We were lucky that both kids got good packages at top schools that were need blind. Their admissions results at need sensitive schools were not as impressive, so we were on a bit of a tightrope.</p>
<p>One so called friend, implied that I couldn’t care as much about my kids’ education because every penny wasn’t coming out of my pocket. She said, “When you’re paying for it yourself, you really care.” Ouch.</p>
<p>Bottom line, to me it’s always better to have money and pay one’s own way, and I learned a long time ago that if I was going to stew about what other people said and did, I was going to spend my entire life pretty unhappy.</p>
<p>This is only a “problem” if you spend your time and energy worrying about what other people think. What’s with all the gossip anyway? If my kid’s going someplace full-pay and some other kid is going the same place “with a great scholarship” (which is really need-based), what would I care if that’s the story that goes around? Why would I need to try to rebut it with “but my kid’s just as smart, and that really isn’t a merit scholarship, it’s just because that family’s poorer than mine, so don’t be thinking little Jimmy’s all that brilliant”? Please, it’s still better to be in the position where you can afford not to worry about scholarships in the first place. Be happy little Jimmy gets to go and stop acting as though it’s an insult to your kid.</p>
<p>Whether you agree with it or not, there are colleges that give need-based aid and call it a scholarship. So, if the college tells a student they are getting a scholarship, you are taking offense at the student saying they got a scholarship? Sounds like you need to take that issue up with the school.</p>
<p>My son applied to a few schools and just for applying was offered scholarships. Most of them had names too. Like “President’s Scholarship.” There was no doubt in my mind that although part of the reason he received it was on his academic merits, I also believe it was done after they looked at EFC and tried to make the college fall within an affordable range for him.</p>
<p>I don’t resent need based aid at all. I made that clear in an earlier post.</p>
<p>Our local HS has a “Senior Awards Program” where students who win scholarships are honored. The catch is that the only scholarships which qualify are those in the school’s “scholarship booklet”. Except for the scholarships for teaching/nursing/engineering, the vast majority of these are need based. D did not qualify for any of them, but was awarded a very nice regional scholarship based on academics, EC’s, leadership and community service. She was not allowed to be honored at the program. Oh, but when the school reported scholarship money won by it’s students, her award was counted. So, yes that was kind of a slap in the face.</p>
<p>Pizza always says it so much better than I, but yes, it’s a waste of energy to be so hypercompetitive about your children that you loose sight of the underlying message and that is that kids who receive scholarships are able to attend colleges they might not be able to attend. I know I’m being redundant but I’m still amazed that people are bothered. The minute all those kids step foot on campus in August they are all at the same starting line and all equal once again except that maybe Johnny is at a selective college and not at his state directional school., there is no distinction between Johnny who got a 3.8 and Billy who got a 3.9 except maybe Johnny’s invoice is smaller because of the scholarship.</p>
</p>
It would just be nice if reporters and school employees could be a bit more clear as to how it works. Just the line in each story that some schools give merit aid and some only give need based aid, but both may call it scholarships could clarify for some people.</p>