General, Special Competition/Application Scholarships?

kentuckymom
Fri, 24 Apr 2009 13:41:12 +0000

We never heard anything about any merit scholarships, so I called the Financial Aid office yesterday to confirm. Basically, although the conversation was rather vague, I was told that the remaining merit awards were given out with acceptance notifications or financial aid notifications (we didn’t submit an aid application). There were fewer merit scholarships this year due to the economic downturn, more need-based aid given out, the elimination of loans from the packages, and a decrease in value of their endowments. It sounded as though all of the remaining merit scholarships became part of the need packages, helping to solve the shortfall (i.e., they were not really merit-based only).

I was told that since Davidson is one of the most selective LAC’s in the country, I should be very proud to be able to pay full price (with my after-tax dollars) for this opportunity. This is her “merit” award–the opportunity to pay full price of around $200000.

Also interesting to note that although my daughter was a National Merit Finalist and Scholar, and Davidson is listed on the PSAT brochure as awarding National Merit Scholarships (automatic at most schools listed), she was not offered one. (Her National Merit award of $20000 at Vanderbilt was automatic, and at other schools she received a higher award, which overrode the NM scholarship.)

Sounds like many of us were waiting for the 15th or 20th for nothing. Full pay at Davidson or substantial merit scholarships at other Universities and LAC’s. I’m sorry to say, we’re part of that middle-class that is being “squeezed” out of these institutions, and Davidson won’t be an option for us…