I feel that this is an opportunity that needs to be talked about much more. Michigan State University offers a HUGE amount of scholarships, with around 20 full ride scholarships being given out every year. On top of that, they offer numerous full tuition scholarships and other aid to cover housing or meal plans.
----- DISCLAIMER : I do not at all want to seem like I am bragging. That is not the purpose of this post!! I want to be able to inform as many people as possibly about these opportunities so that they do not overlook MSU. I have known a number of people who have declined the scholarships here or simply refused to try for them because they had more prestigious universities in mind. I simply want to serve as an example for anyone who is considering MSU. I honestly believe that having this scholarship is one of the best opportunities for undergraduate students. -----
Originally, I was a student who almost declined the scholarship. I did not want to go to MSU at all and I had only applied to appease my mom. Basically, I was the type of student that I am trying to give advice to now.
The part I want to address first is the notion that people do not think MSU is a good enough school. Yes, there are definitely better/ more specialized colleges, but I truly believe that it does not matter when it comes to this scholarship. Every scholarship winner (plus around 150-170 other honors college members per class) also receive an offer for a PAID undergraduate research position during their freshman and sophomore years. Not only does this add a fantastic experience for you as a student and your resume, but it also gives you a little extra money in your pocket during the school year. The student has full control over what type of research they want to do as well, which opens even more opportunities. (Fun fact: The first research position I chose ended up not being for me at all. I was very out of place and unhappy with the position, and as soon as I brought it up to the appropriate person I was relocated to a new position within a week that I absolutely love.)
Simply as a result of having this scholarship along with the research position allowed me to land a paid internship position after my first year of college, while most of my friends were stuck working minimum wage jobs. Upon my hiring, I was informed that I had beat out students from universities with far “greater” finance programs, but it was my resume that got me the position. Just keep that in mind if you are worried about your ability to find a job or internships.
So how does one become a competitive candidate for these scholarships? To understand this I need to address the two ways you can get them.
The way I received my scholarship was through an interview. I simply interviewed with important members of the college who reached out to me, and a few weeks later I had an offer letter. There were a total of 8 people from my class who were offered the scholarship in this manner and 6 ending up accepting. Now I was never told why I was chosen for an interview, but I have some ideas why.
- I poured my heart into the honors college essay. I made sure to give my full effort to it, asked teachers to review it, and revised it as necessary.
- I had 3 main extracurriculars in high school. These can be activities such as volunteer work, sports, jobs, clubs, etc.
- I had relatively high test scores.
Now I actually went into the interview unaware of what it was for. I just remember talking honestly about what I was passionate about and even expressed some of my concerns. I know everyone said this, but I was truly myself during the interview. I made conversation with the representatives, spoke respectfully but with excitement, and had absolutely no expectations (which I feel helped me not try to act any other way). If you are lucky enough to receive an interview, GOOD LUCK!! It is a fantastic experience and try to not put too much pressure on it. They’re people too! Heck, even admit when you’re nervous, they’ll understand.
The other way is through the Alumni Distinguished Scholar exam. If you have an offer for this weekend, do go! At the very worst, you may not be offered anything, but at least you will get the experience of being there. The exam is hard and full of many difference subjects, just know that everyone is struggling with it. Don’t put yourself down if you feel that you didn’t do well, because honestly no one does “well” on that exam. From the exam, there are many different scholarship amounts that are offered. For many OOS students, you can receive offers to reduce your bill to instate tuition.
Remember that with this scholarship, as with many, it is not the end of the world if you don’t get it.
If you have any questions or concerns, please let me know! I want to help anyone who is on the fence with their decisions and just offer my perspective of the entire experience.
