Scholarship offer - what to ask?

[molaw]

I've received scholarship offers from a few different schools and am trying to decide which is the best offer.  What questions should one ask the admissions office to determine the sustainability of the scholarship?  All of these scholarships have minimum GPA requirements, how can you determine the likelihood of maintaining the GPA, or how many people lose their scholarship after the 1st year? 

Can you ask the admissions office what the curve is, what % of the class has the required GPA, etc.? 

What is the best way to approach this and are there any other aspects I should be looking at when evaluating scholarship offers?

[Pink]

I've received scholarship offers from a few different schools and am trying to decide which is the best offer.  What questions should one ask the admissions office to determine the sustainability of the scholarship?  All of these scholarships have minimum GPA requirements, how can you determine the likelihood of maintaining the GPA, or how many people lose their scholarship after the 1st year? 

Can you ask the admissions office what the curve is, what % of the class has the required GPA, etc.? 

What is the best way to approach this and are there any other aspects I should be looking at when evaluating scholarship offers?

Here are some questions I would ask:

1. What percentage of scholarship recipients keep it for all 3 years?  Be sure to exclude those who give it up to transfer.

2. What's the average GPA of the school + where the curve is set (ideally, scholarship GPA requirement should be below this average)

3. Speak with someone who took the scholarship... what % of his/her section has the scholarship (e.g. if a school sticks 60% of those with the scholarship in one section but requires placement in top 30% to keep it, it's a scam).  Are they happy they took it?

4. What percentage of the entering class are offered the scholarship?

5. You may also post some of the schools and approximate amounts + requirements on this or the students board for input.

[molaw]

I've received scholarship offers from a few different schools and am trying to decide which is the best offer.  What questions should one ask the admissions office to determine the sustainability of the scholarship?  All of these scholarships have minimum GPA requirements, how can you determine the likelihood of maintaining the GPA, or how many people lose their scholarship after the 1st year? 

Can you ask the admissions office what the curve is, what % of the class has the required GPA, etc.? 

What is the best way to approach this and are there any other aspects I should be looking at when evaluating scholarship offers?

Here are some questions I would ask:

1. What percentage of scholarship recipients keep it for all 3 years?  Be sure to exclude those who give it up to transfer.

2. What's the average GPA of the school + where the curve is set (ideally, scholarship GPA requirement should be below this average)

3. Speak with someone who took the scholarship... what % of his/her section has the scholarship (e.g. if a school sticks 60% of those with the scholarship in one section but requires placement in top 30% to keep it, it's a scam).  Are they happy they took it?

4. What percentage of the entering class are offered the scholarship?

5. You may also post some of the schools and approximate amounts + requirements on this or the students board for input.

Thanks!  I never thought about #3! How tricky to put all the scholarship holders in the same section!

And to answer #5 - Michigan State offered me full-tuition which requires a 3.0 GPA, and also offered me a spot in the King Scholars program (special meetings and speakers and such) which requires a 3.5 GPA.  Ave Maria offered me $25k/year which requires a 3.0 and they want me to come in to interview for a full-scholarship.  UofD Mercy offered me $42,750 for 3 years which is allocated to pay for 50% of each credit hour at a time, requires a 3.0 GPA.

[Pink]

This post might be helpful, not to scare you or anything, but just something to be weary of when it comes to scholarships with GPA requirements:

http://www.lawschooldiscussion.org/prelaw/index.php/topic,70017.msg1815272.html#msg1815272

[SugarJ]

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