<p>I just went back and read this thread: <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/1430588-penn-state-provosts-award.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/1430588-penn-state-provosts-award.html</a>.</p>
<p>I’m pretty sure my friend’s son was the lucky recipient of one of these Provost awards, which, while taking “merit” into account, in hindsight appears to have been based on some mysterious computer algorithm that selected certain applicants to receive a substantial discount while other, comparable kids, were left to pay full price. Not unlike what the airlines do in discounting a random percentage of seats, I suppose. </p>
<p>While I guess “one can’t win if one doesn’t play,” it also makes the guaranteed stats-based scholarships that Temple and Bama offer pretty appealing in comparison.</p>