<p>DS has a nice problem, but it's still a problem. He has received multiple big scholarship offers from colleges. He's not ready to make a decision because he hasn't even heard about acceptance from some colleges. Is there some response he should make to the colleges? It seems ungrateful to just not respond until he hears back from everybody (in April!!), but on the other hand, it doesn't seem very grateful to write a letter that implies he's waiting on other offers either. We're puzzled! Any suggestions? Anyone who's been through this? </p>
<p>Just pay close attention to the acceptance dates of the scholarship offers. If your son is the quality of candidate to receive many great offers then the univ. will expect it may take him time to decide. Sometimes they will contact and even offer more money.</p>
<p>If a school offers a great scholarship but asks your son to decide by a date earlier than the May 1 deadline, call the school and request an extension to the May 1 deadline. I believe they will give it to you - they just prefer to know earlier. Dont' feel pressured to choose now.</p>
<p>Agree that it's reasonable for you to have S call and thank the school for the scholarship offer & ask the he be given until 5/1 to decide. One he does decide, he can let them know ASAP.</p>
<p>By the way, don't have him feel too pressured, as school offer more scholarships than they expect to have accepted and many schools compete for the same great students. Congrats to your S & family!</p>
<p>My S had similar but smaller issue a couple of years ago. One school that he positively would not attend was notified in late Jan. He politely thanked them for the $$, but no thanks. He did not feel the need to give any more info, and to my knowledge they did not ask.</p>
<p>It was his state safety, so I really doubt they expected him to attend, but the $$ was a very nice gesture.</p>
<p>My S notified the schools which offered for him as soon as he was SURE he wouldn't attend. The schools who asked why he wasn't attending, we tried to be as honest as possible.<br>
One of them had a very punitive and we felt unfair policy of requiring students to withdraw from the school if they missed 2 weeks of school, even if it was due to medical reasons and the student was able to keep up with the work. We told the school that was why he was NOT interested in attending their school & the admissions rep for our area was surprised to hear that was the school's policy.
One of the other schools was a huge state U that S didn't feel he "fit." They didn't ask why he declined so we never said.
One other school we declined because he was accepted but not offered any merit award. (He would have more seriously considered them if they had offered significant merit $.)</p>
<p>Right now, there isn't one he would just <em>not</em> attend. This is way harder than we expected. He applied to a lot of great schools because we have no money to send him to college. We hoped for a good scholarship from one or two, but now we've got some hard decisions to make.</p>
<p>Our first decision is between two schools whose full-ride scholarship weekends are the same weekend - and they say you have to attend to compete. It is very hard to decide knowing that you may choose to compete in school A's scholarship only to lose out when you might have won school B's. I understand they only want serious competitors, but he's serious. He just needs to take money into account - he likes all the schools he applied to, but can only go where the funds are provided.</p>
<p>So, I'm not complaining :-) , but this is just not where we expected to be and I'm really unsure of the protocol. Has anyone been invited to two scholarship weekends the same weekend?</p>
<p>I think curmudgeon's D might have had that problem. You could PM him if he doesn't show up on this thread. He's very knowledgeable, as you may know (or not ;) ) re merit-aid-based college decisions. And always willing to share his extensive knowledge.</p>
<p>Body Double... Just kidding. I don't think they will pull his scholarship if he is a no-show. They want him too bad. Just visit the week before or after.</p>
<p>When we attended the afdmitted students' weekedn at Trinity SA, during the FA seminar, they told us to accept the scholarships by the date or they wouldn't be there if your child decided to attend. And it didn't matter whether or not they were still undecided. It was like pay the room deposit even before the app is in, or you might not have housing at UT.</p>
<p>D had scholarship weekend conflicts. (These are competitive weekend events. Some will get the top prize. Some will get "a lovely home version of our game".) At all the schools she did not ask for special treatment, she won the highest awards . At those she asked for another weekend or a change in schedule (arriving late) she was 0/all on the top-most awards. Not saying that is why, just saying that's what happened. ;) Your mileage may vary. </p>
<p>As to the other issue, hold tight and wait till all the offers are in. OTOH D started releasing scholarships when she knew for a certainty she would not be attending. I see no harm in that. But I also say don't bet on the come. At all.</p>
<p>I was hoping you'd weigh in! I'm glad to know your daughter's experience with postponed/changed weekends even though it isn't what we'd hoped for -- now I know to prepare my son for that happening. </p>
<p>We're both in the "puddle of pee" state you described in an earlier thread I found in the archives <lol></lol></p>
<p>And it's really paying off for me with the other children! We homeschool and ds is telling his brothers - you listen to Mama when she says you need to work harder - she's right. <lol> How delightful!</lol></p>
<p>It been especially encouraging because of our homeschooling, too. It's been harder to know how to do all of this - I have had to be parent, teacher and guidance counselor all in one. It's a been a huge blessing to see years of work rewarded. I am so thankful!</p>
<p>And ds - he's overwhelmed because he never expected to have all these possibilities. There are not that many top college bound folks in our area, so there was no one to compare himself to -- and he knew we had no money right now, so he was limiting his dreams, I think. He's pretty relieved too - or would be if he had time in the midst of all the other senior activities :-)</p>