<p>A student at my D's school was nominated for this. Does anyone know anything about this?</p>
<p>“________ Book Award” prizes are donated by local alumni of that particular college or university. The alum who sponsors it pays for the physical book each year, and sometimes has a say in whom the prize is awarded to, but generally it’s a GPA-based (or GPA- and citizenship/character-based) decision made by the guidance staff of the awarding high school. </p>
<p>Some high schools have them, some don’t. </p>
<p>There’s no connection between the college or university’s admissions office and the award, except in cases where the sponsoring alum is also an alumni interviewer. I know one interviewer who mentioned to me once that kids who failed to write thank-you notes for the prize started out at a disadvantage when he interviewed them.</p>
<p>Actually, there IS a connection between the admissions office and the award: the awards are seen as a means of marketing the school to top students. That is why they are given. Although the local club may have to pay the college for the books through their dues, usually the book is actually provided through the college in question, and it contains a book plate produced by the college that is locally inscribed. Students who are given the book award from a particular school will typically be sent special mailings attempting to pique their interest in the school. This doesn’t mean that the kid will necessarily get in, of course.</p>
<p>My daughter won the Wellesley Book Award at her high school. One of the teachers at her school is a Wellesley alum, and I think she provides the award through the alumni association. My daughter never had this particular teacher in class, and she doesn’t know her. She received a beautifully bound copy of “Norton’s Lives of American Women.” Receiving the award did make her aware of Wellesley; she applied and was accepted earlier this week.</p>
<p>Glad to hear it, Gourmetmom, since I will probably be presenting the Wellesley Book Award at a couple of schools this spring! 
It is the local alumni club that organizes the book thing, but if there is an alum in the school she may well be involved with it.</p>
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<p>Absolutely correct, of course. What I meant is that there is no direct connection: The admissions office has no say in determining who receives these awards, and receiving one shouldn’t be construed as an indication that the student has a leg up in admissions at that school.</p>
<p>D won the Wellesley award at her school, and inside the book’s slipcover was a card from Wellesley asking her for detailed information and marked something like “Wellesley Book Award Recipient” – this was accompanied by a lovely handwritten note from the president of the local alumni chapter. It certainly made her think much more about the school than she otherwise would have – it didn’t end up being a good fit for her, but it was still very nice.</p>
<p>Each college and alumni/ae group may “arrange” for the award in different ways…but…the recipient is almost always chosen by the High School - not the alum or the local club. </p>
<p>For my alma mater, we give book awards in a number of local schools. The alum makes the contact with the school, buys the book, fills in the book plate, delivers it to the school, and sends info. on the recipient to the admissions office. It is my understanding that one “perk” for the winner is that application fees are waived. Not sure if all schools do this.</p>
<p>For other universities, as noted in earlier posts, the university provides the book and book plate. Sometimes the award is based on GPA, sometimes based on activities, sometimes a combination of both. At some schools it’s always given within a specific dept (English, Science, etc.); others it’s given for “all around” excellence. Depends on the criteria of the college and what the high school will allow. </p>
<p>Sometimes the alum goes to an awards ceremony to present the book, other times it is only the school that presents the book.</p>
<p>It is a relatively inexpensive marketing tool for the college, but it’s a nice honor for the junior that receives it.</p>
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<p>Yes, absolutely. Although, against all odds, the Harvard and Yale book award winners in S’s class actually went to the respective schools! :)</p>