<p>I graduated high school in 2010 but many problems kept me from attending college. I was accepted into a private university in July. I have 0 credits to transfer and I applied with a freshman application and was accepted as a freshman. I was counting on a $10,500 renewable freshman merit scholarship but now I’m not eligible because it’s “awarded to students who are accepted and begin within one year of graduating from high school”. Nowhere on the school’s site does it say that. </p>
<p>Is that a rule for all university/college freshman merit scholarships?</p>
<p>
No, it is not. Find another school.</p>
<p>It’s not a rule, but it is common. Keep in mind that merit scholarships are a recruiting tool, not a reward.</p>
<p>Schools can definitely set their own rule to give away their money. Four years after high school graduation is very different from someone taking 1 gap year. I can certainly understand if the school has this policy as you should have worked for several years and may not need as much support as other students.</p>
<p>It is not a general rule, but clearly it is a rule for that particular scholarship. Every stipulation for a scholarship will not be listed on a website or other description. Most of these things, as well as many other things in life have a whole lot of “small print” that one should read carefully as there are many situations and exceptions listed that are not even mentioned in the general blurb. </p>
<p>Do contact the admissions officer that accepted you, thank him/her profusely for the acceptance and tell how excited you are to be going to the school, and then bring up that award and how you had expected you’d be eligible for it and were counting on those funds. Perhaps, they can come up with some alternative or exception to it. If not, you may not be able to go to the school. Give it a go, nothing to lose. </p>