Just to follow up: My D has decided to opt for the Dana Scholars program. The primary decision driver was that in comparing the two programs, she liked the idea of the internship and mentorship options integral to the Dana program vs. taking three Scholars-designated courses in the Muhlenberg program. So the very first response above from @MYOS1634 was spot on.
Also a tremendous thank you to @rdtjgk for facilitating contact with a student in the Muhlenberg Scholars program who then facilitated contact with another student in the Dana Scholars program. Those conversations were very helpful to my D and also shed some light on the social aspects of the programs. Very much appreciated!
Lastly, I thought it might be useful to highlight some differences in the administrative aspects of the programs.
For the Muhlenberg Scholars program, the student must ultimately obtain a 3.5 cumulative GPA at the end of four years in order to graduate with the “Muhlenberg Scholar” designation on their diploma. However, if the student is below that 3.5 GPA at any point prior to graduation, they do not run the risk of actually losing the stipend. If they ultimately fail to achieve a 3.5, they simply don’t graduate with the designation but there is no negative financial impact. (Caveat: It may be that a student who drops below a 3.0 GPA could put the stipend at risk but I received conflicting info about that point.)
Conversely, a student in the Dana Scholars program must consistently maintain a 3.33 GPA throughout the four years in order to both maintain the stipend and to graduate with the “Dana Scholar” designation. If at any point the student drops below a 3.33 GPA, the student may become ineligible for the program and therefore lose the stipend. (Note, however, there is a petition process in this scenario which could allow the student to remain in the program.)
I assume each program was started independently and that there are historical reasons why these differences exist. But at this point, I’m sure it’s the same cohort of kids that are looking at both programs. And I would think it is preferable for the students to base their decision primarily on the unique academic structure of each program, rather than on these arcane administrative aspects.
The fact that the Muhlenberg Scholars stipend is at lower risk of loss seems like it could weigh heavily in a student’s decision, regardless of whether that program is better structured academically for that student.
In any event, both programs sound wonderful and the need to decide between them probably impacts just a handful of students so it really isn’t a big deal.
