<p>It was probably the essays and recommendations that played a factor. I didn't have high stats but I worked hard on my essays to convey what I was trying to say and tying it all together.</p>
<p>well, i got the Morrill Distinction. i'm not really any of what you guys are saying about the people that receive those kinds of scholarships, either... I'm white, don't have any connections to "powerful politicians." And I did have to work hard to get where I am; I don't "know anybody." I think that the reason people are awarded the scholarships are actually because they both worked hard and had good essays and recs. And if you qualified for the distinction interviews, having good speaking abilities helps. Just because you or your kids don't get them doesn't mean there's something wrong with the system. Maybe the person reading the essay or app just didn't think they were the type of person they were looking for. That kind of stuff happens in college admissions/scholarship selection processes all the time.
Also, I had a 3.99 uw GPA, 2nd in my class (2nd to my girlfriend...hahaha), 33 ACT, very strong ec's and a good interview.</p>
<p>I received the excellence scholarship. was hoping for the distinction, but, can’t complain.</p>
<p>27 ACT 4.2 GPA good ec’s, only 1 recommendation and that wasn’t from a teacher who made my college recs. I’m pretty surprised. I wasn’t sure if I “emphasized” enough how my blackness affected me, since that seems to be what they wanted…
good luck everyone!</p>
<p>I am sure that they looked at family income, but I guarantee that there was an element of merit in the competition. I am Indian, meaning that I am an ORM and have two parents who are physicians. For those of you who are wondering, I am an AP Scholar with Distinction, will graduate with 12 AP courses, a National Merit Finalist, and one of the top three students in my class (we do not have a ranking system.) By all means, I should not have even been considered for this. My guess is that the essays are more important than the statistics.</p>
<p>@powerbond, im desi too!!! i was shocked when i got it cause have pretty average stats (3.6 GPA, but 7 APs, my school offers 9, 32 ACT) but my essay was DYNAMITE and i got prominence. it’s definitely what got me the scholarship by far. do you think you’re going to go to OSU next year?</p>