scholarship help
- Thread starter falconfather
- Start date
- Joined
- Dec 22, 2007
- Messages
- 51
Haha twice a day?!?! Ehh Track practice gets me through my running portion and I am just startin to do some liftin so yea I guess not so relaxed... 
S was just given a $250 schloarship from the Marine Corp League at a banquet last night. They normally give two $500 scholarships to JROTC students in our county. S did not plan to apply for this as he is going to the USMA, but was told by his JROTC instructors he should apply anyway since there are so few JROTC seniors who qualify academically and who actually take the time to fill out the app.
The scholarship interviewers knew full-well s is headed to WP and awarded the 2 main $500 scholarships to 2 other very deserving students. However, they were so impressed with the credentials and hard work of s that they decided to award an honorary half-schol. to help defray some of his expenses up-front.
This was such a sweet gesture on the part of these veterans. They wanted to give the money to a young person who they knew was going to continue service to country, and we felt very honored they wanted to honor our candidate. The other two students may or may not continue into ROTC collegiate programs, they are both unsure at this point.
So I am in complete agreement with Antoinette: these scholarships may be needed by some cadets to defray costs. I know at least one mom who has expressed a *gasp* at the $2900 deposit required by USMA. Not that she doesn't want to pay it, she is just thinking, "ouch, that is a lot to pay all at once". And I am incidently wondering how much our medical bills are going to be for all the required pre-Beast immunizations and full dental x-rays and the visit to the optometrist...these will more than likely not be covered by our health insurance and are more extensive than what he would be getting done right now if going to a civilian college.
Now for a couple of other scholarship thoughts... The first is from the perspective of a scholarship interviewer: I've served on a scholarship interview committee the past 3 years, each year to award 3 $500 scholarships to deserving senior band students. Each year has been different as to what we observed and discussed in the selection process. One particular year we had kids that really needed the money but had not applied themselves, and at the other extreme was a student who had worked very hard in all areas of ECs and academia, but we knew he had the money available. Another year we had kids with very high gradepoints and who looked great on paper, but their interview left us questioning some motives and statements on the application. Last year one of the most (perceived as) deserving students did not even fill out an app at all b/c he told the band director his parents could afford to send him to college, and he didn't want to take away from someone who needed it (sound familiar?). Problem was, the others that applied did not show financial need any more than the one who chose not to apply for noble reasons.
My point here is this: I think it is fine to apply for these schol. as long as you are up-front about the tuition and board being paid. In fact, as an interviewer, I would prefer a student take the time to apply, and let the schol. committee be the ones to decide who is most qualified based on merit and need. While this adds more "competition" to the mix, quite frankly I have seen some schol. monies go to kids who were lower in merit but financially needy, and they did not always follow through on their educational commitment as agreed upon by the app process. But it is hard to withdraw a small cash offer!
I'd just as soon see this money go to a highly motivated individual who has a very high probability of following through-- regardless of need--then I will not feel we made an irresponsible decision as a scholarship selection committee.
And this thought as a schol. recipient: I was awarded a $900 schol. by my university one year simply b/c I fit the requirements that were so stringent, very few scholarships of this nature were ever really given out. The stipulations were that it had to be a 1. female student 2. majoring in agriculture 3. in their junior year academically 4. who had grown up on a university agricultural research farm. I didn't even know to apply: the letter showed up in my mailbox one day. So... sometimes there are weird stipulations which keep very few from being qualified. If this is the case, you are NOT taking monies away from someone who is more deserving.
USMA even states in their materials that scholarship monies can be accepted as long as they are not for tuition or room and board. If cash is given, it can be applied toward uniforms and books or other school supplies unless it is expressly stated it is for tuition/R & B. If this is the case, it cannot be accepted.
So if there are scholarships you are deserving of, go for it. Just be honest and upfront so the committee makes the best decisions for all involved.
BTW, the monies s received from Marines will be used toward the new required low quarters and boots!
The scholarship interviewers knew full-well s is headed to WP and awarded the 2 main $500 scholarships to 2 other very deserving students. However, they were so impressed with the credentials and hard work of s that they decided to award an honorary half-schol. to help defray some of his expenses up-front.
This was such a sweet gesture on the part of these veterans. They wanted to give the money to a young person who they knew was going to continue service to country, and we felt very honored they wanted to honor our candidate. The other two students may or may not continue into ROTC collegiate programs, they are both unsure at this point.
So I am in complete agreement with Antoinette: these scholarships may be needed by some cadets to defray costs. I know at least one mom who has expressed a *gasp* at the $2900 deposit required by USMA. Not that she doesn't want to pay it, she is just thinking, "ouch, that is a lot to pay all at once". And I am incidently wondering how much our medical bills are going to be for all the required pre-Beast immunizations and full dental x-rays and the visit to the optometrist...these will more than likely not be covered by our health insurance and are more extensive than what he would be getting done right now if going to a civilian college.
Now for a couple of other scholarship thoughts... The first is from the perspective of a scholarship interviewer: I've served on a scholarship interview committee the past 3 years, each year to award 3 $500 scholarships to deserving senior band students. Each year has been different as to what we observed and discussed in the selection process. One particular year we had kids that really needed the money but had not applied themselves, and at the other extreme was a student who had worked very hard in all areas of ECs and academia, but we knew he had the money available. Another year we had kids with very high gradepoints and who looked great on paper, but their interview left us questioning some motives and statements on the application. Last year one of the most (perceived as) deserving students did not even fill out an app at all b/c he told the band director his parents could afford to send him to college, and he didn't want to take away from someone who needed it (sound familiar?). Problem was, the others that applied did not show financial need any more than the one who chose not to apply for noble reasons.
My point here is this: I think it is fine to apply for these schol. as long as you are up-front about the tuition and board being paid. In fact, as an interviewer, I would prefer a student take the time to apply, and let the schol. committee be the ones to decide who is most qualified based on merit and need. While this adds more "competition" to the mix, quite frankly I have seen some schol. monies go to kids who were lower in merit but financially needy, and they did not always follow through on their educational commitment as agreed upon by the app process. But it is hard to withdraw a small cash offer!
I'd just as soon see this money go to a highly motivated individual who has a very high probability of following through-- regardless of need--then I will not feel we made an irresponsible decision as a scholarship selection committee. And this thought as a schol. recipient: I was awarded a $900 schol. by my university one year simply b/c I fit the requirements that were so stringent, very few scholarships of this nature were ever really given out. The stipulations were that it had to be a 1. female student 2. majoring in agriculture 3. in their junior year academically 4. who had grown up on a university agricultural research farm. I didn't even know to apply: the letter showed up in my mailbox one day. So... sometimes there are weird stipulations which keep very few from being qualified. If this is the case, you are NOT taking monies away from someone who is more deserving.
USMA even states in their materials that scholarship monies can be accepted as long as they are not for tuition or room and board. If cash is given, it can be applied toward uniforms and books or other school supplies unless it is expressly stated it is for tuition/R & B. If this is the case, it cannot be accepted.
So if there are scholarships you are deserving of, go for it. Just be honest and upfront so the committee makes the best decisions for all involved.
BTW, the monies s received from Marines will be used toward the new required low quarters and boots!
- Joined
- Jan 30, 2007
- Messages
- 873
Anonagron, congratulations to your son for receiving a scholarship from the Marine Corps League. 
What a compliment for your son! Perhaps knowing that the Marines believe in him will help him get through Beast. 
What a compliment for your son! Perhaps knowing that the Marines believe in him will help him get through Beast. - Joined
- Feb 29, 2008
- Messages
- 15
thanks for your insight on scholies!
Anonagron and Antoinette, thank you for your honest insight, when i started this thread, I was only trying to find out if there were hidden cost, u know, incidentals or anything we weren't thinking about that needs to get paid, my son never even considered applying for any additional scholaships at the AFA but after reading several posts, it seems that there are others costs that creep in and while we never want to take from others more deserving, your comments about just being up front and honest with the interviewers seems to be a lesson also! Each scholie does have its set of rules, i give one from the nfl players association and it must go to a student who doesn't receive any other R/B tuition.But several teachers have encouraged my son to apply, he is the schools first Academy student and D-1 athlete and they are all very proud of him and just want the best, and I'm sure they wouldn't want to take away from someone more deserving if there are any! thanks again.
Falconfather
Anonagron and Antoinette, thank you for your honest insight, when i started this thread, I was only trying to find out if there were hidden cost, u know, incidentals or anything we weren't thinking about that needs to get paid, my son never even considered applying for any additional scholaships at the AFA but after reading several posts, it seems that there are others costs that creep in and while we never want to take from others more deserving, your comments about just being up front and honest with the interviewers seems to be a lesson also! Each scholie does have its set of rules, i give one from the nfl players association and it must go to a student who doesn't receive any other R/B tuition.But several teachers have encouraged my son to apply, he is the schools first Academy student and D-1 athlete and they are all very proud of him and just want the best, and I'm sure they wouldn't want to take away from someone more deserving if there are any! thanks again.
Falconfather