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The skinny on scholarship distribution

Date 3/4/1999 12:00 AM | Topic: Features

Luther college distributes millions of dollars in academic scholarships each year to students who use the money to help pay for the rising cost of college education. Understanding the process of distribution is important because this system affects all students; it determines who does and who does not receive money.

Every year, Luther sets aside $14 million for financial aid, of which $5 million goes toward Regents and Presidential scholarships, Luther's only academic scholarships. This is Luther's largest budgeted area with an average of more than half of each year's incoming class entering with one of the academic scholarships. This year's incoming class alone entered with more than 350 students holding either the Presidential or Regents scholarship.

In order to receive one of these scholarships a set of criteria must be met. Incoming students who have at least a 25 cumulative ACT score and graduated in the top 20 percent of their high school class automatically receive an academic scholarship ranging anywhere from $2,000 to $6,000.

Which scholarship and how much money a student is awarded is determined by a committee consisting of Janice Cordell, director of student financial planning, David Sallee, vice president of enrollment management, and Amy Noel, admissions director of special events.

There is no limit to the number of scholarships awarded so that "anyone deserving a scholarship gets one," said Sallee.

In order to retain the scholarship a student must maintain a 3.0 cumulative GPA for the Presidential scholarships and a 3.25 cumulative GPA for the Regents scholarship. The first time a student falls .25 grade points or less below the required GPA a warning is issued and the student is given a specified amount of time determined by the committee to raise the GPA.

The retention of Luther awarded academic scholarships is high. Of the 1,073 students who were reviewed for scholarship renewal in the spring of 1998, 1,034 were renewed.

The committee reviews cases on an individual basis to ensure students' needs are being met. As a benefit to those students whose GPAs fall below the minimum, need-based aid will often offset the loss of a scholarship until it can be renewed.

Of the 39 students who lost their scholarships at the close of Spring 1998, 28 were able to replace the scholarship with need based aid and only 11 were unable to maintain some sort of aid to replace the lost scholarship.

Are the standards of retention for these scholarships too low?

Cordell believes the criteria are reasonable, and Sallee agrees, stating "the process has been stable for at least the six years I have been involved."

While most students who receive these scholarships retain them, students who do not receive them as incoming students cannot obtain a Regents or Presidential scholarship regardless of academic performance at Luther. For at least the past six years, the system has allowed only incoming students a chance at these scholarships.

In response to potential criticism about giving scholarships only to incoming students, Cordell points to scholarship search programs posted outside the Financial Planning Office, in The Bulletin, and on the Internet.

"I believe it is the student's responsibility to seek out additional scholarships through the resources we have made available," said Cordell. "Basically, those who need aid will get it and it is only a matter of where the money is coming from."

Some students on campus seem to be in favor of this system. Meg Erke ('00), who does not have an academic scholarship, said financial aid at Luther has never been a problem for her because the school has always worked with her to find the money she needs.

Mark Josephsen ('00), who also entered without an academic scholarship, feels that he does not get as much aid as he needs though he has been awarded non-academic scholarships including the Weston Noble Scholarship and one for music lessons.

Questions about the fairness of the process of distributing millions of dollars in academic scholarships may continue, but for the members of the distribution committee and some students, the current system is adequate.

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Jesi Sexton
Chips Staff Writer

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