Q about college scholarships- do not quote

[EmilyGF]

Thanks!

Emily

Edited March 17, 2023 by EmilyGF

[kirstenhill]

The most obvious thing I can think of is clerical error - someone sending the letter picked the wrong recipient (could be someone with a similar name).  Or maybe a "notification" was sent to a large number of students, instead of only the x number who were supposed to receive it.  

Not a scholarship, but at a school DD was admitted to but decided not to attend, she received a congratulations letter for a particular program she didn't apply for at that school...followed the next day by a "whoops" email stating they had sent it to the wrong list of potential students. 

[ScoutTN]

I would contact the school. 

[kokotg]

A mistake seems like the most likely explanation. Unless they're defining "minority" more broadly (I've seen some scholarship opportunities that are targeted at "underrepresented groups" or something along those lines and can include stuff like first gen students or low income students (or women, particularly in STEM)

[Dmmetler]

I went to undergrad on a scholarship earmarked to improve diversity on campus, and in my year, all three of us were white girls, but we both came from geographically different regions (school was in NM, we were from VA, MI, and AK), and we all had another factor-I was disabled, another was a foster kid, and the third lived so remotely that she had done school via TV/radio, and they flew their private plane in once a month to restock supplies. In this case "diversity" didn't automatically map to race. 

 

So it's possible that something in his essay might have indicated he ticked a box in a different way. 

[teachermom2834]

One of my sons had a friend invited to a scholarship competition for a huge scholarship at a prestigious college. He was thrilled. It was during covid and the interview session was on Zoom. He got to the zoom meeting and the other competitors and the interview panel were all the same minority of which he most obviously was not. He was dismissed from the competition.

Not sure all the details of how it happened. I guess you can let it ride if your ds would attend this school otherwise (the ethical side of it being yours to worry about). I think you did say your ds would attend this school even without the scholarship. If losing this scholarship would mean your ds couldn’t attend I would definitely bring it to someone’s attention. I guess if your ds will be ok there either way you can wait and see what happens.

[Roadrunner]

Maybe they really wanted him and they gave scholarship that was available? Is there a rule that it’s exclusive to a certain minority? I don’t know much about it, but I hope he is the intended recipient. 

[Farrar]

Agreeing that sometimes there are diversity programs for religious minorities and geographical diversity. Also, sometimes there are scholarships that are minority-centric but that are open to anyone.

But mostly... I'm guessing from the way you're describing it that there's been an error. He should just reach out.

[gstharr]

You have to parse the words on this one. Did it say racial minority or under represented minority group. - URM-  are not limited to racial groups but can include economic or geographical minorities for that  school.  Hence,  a poor white  applicant from Alaska might be consideredl an URM for a  northeastern school.   I would accept it if you believe that he qualified under a broader definition.of URM. Otherwise, without stating the reasons  for your  concerns, I would confirm that the scholarship was intended for him.

 

 

 

 

[EmilyGF]

Thanks for the perspective. Thanks.