<p>Okay, so most of this thread is me expressing what is basically bitterness because as of right now, I haven’t been offered scholarships at U of Maryland and American U, when kids on CC and that I know personally with lower stats than me have.</p>
<p>I understand this sounds pompous, but it’s not intentional - I understand that there are certain in intangibles about every applicant. As I don’t qualify for much aid, scholarships are kind of a complete necessity. I personally considered my GPA to be potentially the weakest part of my application - my EC’s, rec’s and essays were all very strong. And it’s not as if I treated these applications casually because they weren’t my top choice - I spent a good chunk of time on all of my applications. To see people with lower GPA’s and lower SATs (and in the case of the students I know personally - far less rigorous course loads) is super disheartening, especially since I’m still waiting to hear back from my top schools. I mean, if I can’t get special program invites or scholarship offers from my safety, how can I expect to get into my reach?</p>
<p>I was just curious if anyone can provide any insight into why stuff like this happens (aside from ‘that’s just the way it is’), it would be very helpful, as I don’t have the guts to call up the admissions office and ask for an explaination.</p>
<p>No one can answer you with any certainty. And calling the office while you feel this way won’t do you any good. Not that you would ever get a straight answer, anyway. I would wait to see what the results from your top schools are, and then call if you really want to go to one of the other schools, about reconsidering FA. There was a thread last year by Berurah about her son calling to see why he had been rejected at Yale, and you wouldn’t believe the brutal response! Don’t put yourself in that position. My D and many, many students on this site have experienced this type of disappointment. You mentioned that these schools were not your top choices. What you are upset about is that others got the scholarships over you. It may well be that the school senses this and thinks you may not come, and then the scholarship offer would be lost and this way they are giving it to someone who they really beleive will attend. I tell you this not to make you feel worse, but schools make decisions based on prior experience. My D was offered Presidential scholarship at American, full tuition for 4 years, and didn’t matriculate - instead she went to a different college. That scholarship was lost to someone else last year. If enough kids did this, then perhaps the school is looking at different criteria for these. Just speculating - have no firsthand knowledge. My best advice is to get the best FA you can, and forget about WHY? I know, easier said than done.<br>
Being a teacher, I personally know kids who I know are not ivy or elite school caliber, yet they were accepted, and others that I knew were terrific and deserved it, weren’t. And their stats matched my opinion of them! Good luck with your top choices!</p>
<p>I believe even timing of your application could have been the reason. Lets say somebody with lesser stats submitted their appl early in the process that way their competition was minimal. Your appl could have been send when many solid applications came through so competition in your small pool of people was stronger.
I know that only some colleges have certain rules- these stats garantee you this scholarship, these stats that scholarship, for most colleges it is a matter of attracting people they want more. Person with lesser stats than you could have been more desirable due to gender difference, race, EC’s or even theme of the essay. Also, many of merit scholarship are still financial need sensitive. Many schools do have an idea what is your fin status is before any financial forms are submitted.
Anyway there are too many variables to try to second guess why decision was done this way. Hopefully one of other places will offer better deal, wait until you get all your offers to see which option looks better than others.</p>
I don’t believe that that is how it works for most colleges… They offer scholarships to more students than they budget for, knowing that a percentage of students offered these scholarships will not matriculate at their college. If all students offered these scholarships DID accept them, the college F.A. department administrators would be scratching their heads and scrambling for money! Your daughter’s scholarship wasn’t “lost” to someone else; it was part of “over-awarding” of scholarships done in anticipation that only a percentage of awardees would accept the offer.</p>