Ethical to apply to Presidential Scholarship at a safety school?

Paying for College
1

I just got my acceptance letter from PLU. While I love their school, its prestige, research, and caliber of students does not really match up with what I am hoping for.

I applied to them as mostly a financial safety. They had a free app. I will only be attending PLU if I can’t get into any better schools (PLU almost the lowest on that order), I decide I don’t want to live outside of home, or my family has a sudden financial issue(s).

Is it therefore unethical for me to apply to the Presidential Scholarship at PLU? While it is necessary information to know exactly how much it will cost for me to attend PLU, I also don’t want to take an opportunity from other deserving students.

What do you think?

2

Not unethical but let them know ASAP if you decide to attend somewhere else so they can offer the $ to another person.

3

The school presumably has past experience with the yield of admitted students who were offered the scholarship.

4

You may think it is your safety now, but it could be your only option in April, so yes, you should apply. I am saying this because on the day when the ivy letters came out, the only school my kid got into was her safety. They offered her their presidential scholarship. She was very tempted to accept it until she got off her WL schools. Not to worry about taking someone’s spot. If you should get it and turn it down later, they will offer it to other deserving student.

5

To piggyback on @oldfort’s comment, this could be the only financially feasible option you have once the dust settles.

Is the scholarship guaranteed or are you just eligible and will have to go through a process; interview, visit, etc? Unless it is guaranteed, you are not a lock to receive it. Apply and then see how it all pans out.

Did you sit with your parents and run the net price calculator for your other choices? Will those choices be affordable for the next 4 years (you can’t look at affordability for one year)?

6

Yes, apply. And the minute you make a decision that you absolutely will not attend, let them know so the funds can be made available to another student. It happens all the time. There’s nothing unethical about it. Just practice good form and notify them as soon as you can.

7

And props for considering the ethics of the situation. You’re off to a great start as an adult. I agree with others that there is no problem at all with accepting the scholarship until you know for sure that you will not be attending.