<p>Does anyone know anything about being a Swarthmore Scholar? My financial aid info has been delayed and so my mom called Swarthmore. They relayed my award, and apparently I've been selected as a Swarthmore Scholar, and won't have to take out any loans. Is this merit based or need based or what because I don't see how my application could have been above average in any way to earn me a merit scholarship (I'm still shocked that I got in in the first place).</p>
<p>Something else is that it looks like if I win community scholarships, the money is just going to be subtracted from my grant from Swarthmore. I just had my community scholarship interviews and face the likelihood of winning one or more scholarships. I think I'll feel really bad if I win some scholarships and the money basically doesn't help me at all. Any thoughts on what I can do?</p>
<p>A Swarthmore Scholars deal is a "quasi-merit aid" program. The financial aid amounts are need-based, but any loan components of a standard package are converted to additional grant awards. These are offered to students Swarthmore wants to attract, usually for reasons of diversity. </p>
<p>Think of the program in the same light as Harvard's deal to waive all loans for students THEY want to attract, i.e. students from families making under $60,000 per year. Or, like the loan-free deals that schools using the Questbridge search program offer. Same kind of "quasi-merit aid" package..</p>
<p>Swarthmore Scholars program was implemented by the Director of Admissions in 1999, Robin Mamlet, before she went to Stanford.</p>