<p>adliang:</p>
<p>The selection of the students for the NMF’s own scholarship of $2500 is done by a committee consisting of HS guidance counselors and college Admissions officers. They are not employees of NMSC. (Corporate scholarships are decided by NMSC staff as possibly there is likely to be less controversy there). Based on what you say, it must be something with essay.</p>
<p>Not all students offered the NMSC scholarship, take it (for what ever reason) so there are some residual scholarships that need to be awarded and that is what will be announced on May 6th.</p>
<p>Can you lobby for this student’s case to be considered? I would say that NMSC will not allow that and all the decisions will be made by the same committee that made the original decision. They have some criteria and they will stick to it. Imagine if students were allowed to directly present their cases to the committee. There would be chaos. That does not mean you cannot try but I would think NMSC has deliberately set up a separate committee (outside of their staff) so that there is total independence in the decision making. Hence NMSC will not forward your request to the committee. The committee may look at the application once more and make a positive decision, however I do not think that the chances are high. By the same token NMSC will not tell you why as the committee is independent.</p>
<p>In other words, while you can try and ask for explanations, I do not think you will get it. If they give you an explanation, then all the students who have not got that scholarship can ask the same question and NMSC would be obliged to answer them also. The consequences of allowing that to happen are immense. </p>
<p>If I were in the student’s position, I would leave it and move on and not even bother to inquire. If he is lucky to get one of the residual scholarships, he can celebrate at that time.</p>