<p>Hi!
So I'm applying for this merit-based scholarship that fits me perfectly regarding the essay and its prompt. However, the scholarship stated that most of the recipients that were awarded the scholarship in the past were typically the top 10 percent in their graduating class. I have an ACT score of 30 but I am only the top 17% of my graduating class =/ My counselor (who is quite familiar with this scholarship) said that I am a very strong candidate for this scholarship after reviewing my essay. I'm not entirely sure if she acknowledged my class rank though. How important is being in the top 10 percent? The scholarship is not strictly based on ACT/SAT, GPA, or class rank but I'm sure that those play a role in choosing recipients.</p>
<p>Since we don’t know which scholarship this is, we have no idea of how the selection people view the importance of being top 10%. The selection committee may use Top 10% as part of the down-select process…or not. We have no idea.</p>
<p>It’s the Morrill Scholarship for The Ohio State University. It’s strongly based on promoting diversity in the community as well as academic excellence.
Thanks!</p>
<p>Perhaps someone knows how this scholarship is designed in terms of selection. Otherwise, we can only guess. My advice is to sit tight and hope. You can ask your counselor for what info s/he has on the award. But in most cases, for most such awards, gauging ones chances is difficult. Make sure you have some back up optons whehttp://agplaythings.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=newestthreadsre you know you will be accepted and that you can afford. Unless an award is guaranteed to students at certain thresholds, and you have those numbers, you usually won’t know whether you will get the award until it is announced. Even a 99% chance of getting the award is not useful, if you make it in that 1%.</p>
<p>^^^cptofthehouse always gives good financial advice. I would add that there is value in trying for some scholarships even that you don’t win. It helps you evaluate your weak spots, think about your goals and get the practice you might need to win the next time. So if this feels like a good fit, give it your best shot. If you get it -wonderful! If you don’t you will be better prepared for the next time. In college, there will be many applications for clubs, jobs, honor societies, study abroad and scholarships.</p>
<p>We don’t know but if the purpose is to increase diversity and your ethnicity is important to the school, then that could be more important than your rank.</p>
<p>My daughter received this scholarship last year. To qualify you must be a racial minority or live in an Appalachian county in Ohio. My daughter is white but we live in an Appalachian county. Your essay is very important as that conveys how you have contributed to diversity. I did not think being in the top 10% was necessary. As long as you are a minority or live in a specific county, you look like you qualify.</p>
<p>My apologies for some spam that got in my post. Can’t remove it now. </p>
<p>I want to add that for many scholarships, the requirements can be guidelines only, and liberties are taken with things like the top 10% or GPAs since they can be fuzzy when you are looking at different types of schools and different calculations of GPAs and weighting. Sometimes they are strict cutoffs and if you don’t make the cut the way it is defined, that’s it. Many times just making every bit of the criteria doesn’t mean you get any award. Those are just the MINIMUM requirements for consideration or general requirements, and unless it specifically said that it is GUARANTEED that anyone making those requirements get an award, you can’t count on it. People familiar with a particular program or award can give you their take on your chances, and it appears that you have a counselor in the picture who is serving that capacity, but NO ONE can tell your for sure One of my sons was told by his very experienced, usually on the mark high school counselor that he exceeded the qualifications for a certain scholarship and acceptance to a program and he was rejected for both. Even though in the past, kids from his school got either with “lesser” qualificatons that he did. Doesn’t matter. Doesn’t even matter in the same year. In many cases, the numbers are only part of the consideration so someone lower in class rank and test scores can get an award or get accepted over you. Happens all of the time.</p>
<p>Reread your own original post, the answer is there. Most also means not all. Typical means just that - there are some who don’t fit that profile. They make statements so kids who aren’t anywhere close won’t get their hopes up. The top 10% at some schools may be equivalent to the top 50% at others. If your counselor is very familiar with this scholarship, I would apply. You could be an atypical winner.</p>
<p>Thank you CTS and all the other CC users for your helpful replies!
The announcement for recipients is next month and I’ll post the result!
Thank you!</p>