<p>how are applicants selected for scholarship consideration? It seems that applicants that are considered for scholarship were not selected based on stats because a couple people from my school who had great stats were not considered while other people with lower stats were. any different from the admission process?</p>
<p>personally, i think it has a lot to do w/ essays.
I remember for my school, the valedictorian was only considered for the Presidential, while the lower ranked person got the Trustee.</p>
<p>Two people from the same HS may not be applying for the same major, so, it can depend on the major or school applied to. Each school selects their candidates–so those applying to really competitive majors need higher scores, etc, than those for the arts–but the arts majors (film, arch, music, theatre, etc) need to show excellence in their areas. That said, I think they look very closely at outside-of-school honors and awards, internships, letters of rec, and great essays.</p>
<p>Also, undeclareds can be invited to interview for those scholarships. If college admissions were all about the best stats/numbers, then computers could do the admitting and they could fire the admissions staff. The university is trying to admit real people to form a good class so they use the WHOLE application, not just GPA and test scores to admit kids. Good luck.</p>
<p>let me preface this with saying i AM bitter that i wasnt selected to interview for presidential or trustee when a girl at my school who i am superior to in every aspect except ethnicity (and to an extent gender) is going to interview for trustee. and dont give me that essay and rec stuff bc they were good enough to get me into stanford so i think theyd be ok for usc
that comes off as arrogant and insensitive but im still a little upset bc i was really excited to go to usc if i got a good scholarship (i got deans but thats only 1/4 of 50000 a year)</p>
<p>codini…no you are not coming off arrogant to me, just disappointed and rightly so. This happened at my school a couple of years ago with 2 validictorians passed up for a girl who was an engineering major (she had done internships and won an engineering contest…so no slacker, but not top of the class and a full ride!). But yeah, I can understand your feelings.</p>
<p>From what I read, sometimes people who would have received financial aid get scholarship instead. So don’t be bitter. You’ve got into Stanford. </p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/50973-pres-trustee-scholarship-usc.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/50973-pres-trustee-scholarship-usc.html</a></p>
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<p>Did you want USC over Stanford?</p>
<p>I wonder if going in undeclared altered my chances for the scholarships… (I got accepted for Dean’s)</p>
<p>Are you saying that the only thing standing between you and USC is a few dollars? Not the fact that you got into Stanford? Have you publicly stated anywhere (hint: CC) that USC is not your first choice school? A lot can go into who gets offered money, and yield is one factor. Don’t be bitter, if you want to attend USC, call admissions and ask them if there is any chance to be bumped up for more money. Tell them you don’t want to be forced to attend Stanford due to a lack of merit money from USC. At the very least, they will hear you out. But, if all you are after is an offer of money that you intend to decline, then don’t be bitter if USC recognizes that and chooses to pursue students for whom USC is first choice. If you are smart enough to get into Stanford, you are smart enough to understand how USC admissions might play the game of getting as many top students as possible. Good luck, whichever school you attend. Fight On!</p>
<p>Last year, somebody got into Duke but did not get a dime from USC. He said if they threw him any money he would have chosen USC. He finally went to Duke instead.</p>
<p>Five years ago my daughter got full scholarships to every other school she applied for, but not a dime from SC. But she decided to go there anyway because it was her #1 Dream school. And it was absolutely the right decision. She loved every moment – is now a Trojan for life and wishes that she could be starting all over again (instead of out in the real world of work and bills!)</p>
<p>Re #8, it looks like he wanted USC with $$ over Stanford at full price. And as I read it, he resolves the selectivity equivalency to be USC plus Trustees’ or President’s to be less selective than admission to Stanford. He got into Stanford, so he certainly should have gotten the big money from USC. I don’t know enough to agree or disagree, but that is how I read it.</p>
<p>dt123, that’s how I read it too. I think USC offers Trustee and Presidential interviews to less than 900 admitted students (out of approx 35,000 applicants)–and Stanford accepts about 2400 students (out of approx. 23,000 applicants). At this extremely high level of selectivity (just like with ivy admissions) there can be no guaranteed “match”. It’s understandable for top top students to be disappointed if they don’t get the prize, especially when they perceive someone with lesser stats may have been accepted. </p>
<p>In holistic admissions, ecs, major, letters of rec, and–yes–URM status can all play a role. But even if schools made decisions strictly by the numbers, those SAT scores from one or two test dates, can also not predict which student is most qualified. And one audition day (like one good hair day) does not an entire life and career make. It’s just the way the ball bounces. I commend USC for being one of the very few top 30 USN&WR ranked universities that actually offers merit awards of such generosity to so many. But I understand the frustrations of those who must have just missed the cut.</p>