example of a scholarship essay

example of a scholarship essay

The Importance of Scholarships in Higher Education

1. Introduction

The importance of scholarships in higher education is a docuseries produced by Jasmine Medina’s honors thesis. The purpose of the thesis is to educate the audience on why scholarships are fundamentally important in order to have a significant impact on the access and success of underrepresented students in higher education. This is a significant issue, considering that the higher education system is meant to be an accessible vehicle for economic and social mobility. It should be necessary for everyone and anyone who seeks prosperity in their future to be able to attain a degree in higher education. However, the reality is that underrepresented students face numerous access and success barriers in the higher education system. It is these barriers that deter them from entering higher education and lead them to have the highest dropout rates. This has significant implications on the student’s future and on the future of the U.S. economy. To solve this problem, the dispositional mindset of the higher education system must change and that’s where my thesis wraps around. The mindset must shift from one that expects underrepresented students to fail and/or drop out of higher education to one that expects them to attain a degree. This is because favorable outcomes expectations correlate strongly with student success and the best way to spark this shift is through creating an environment where underrepresented students can easily afford and attain a degree. This is where scholarships come into play and it is important for students to realize why.

2. The Benefits of Scholarships

Scholarships are a financial windfall to many students. Yet, although a scholarship is designed to lessen the need for family contribution, most scholarships do not completely eliminate the need for loans or part-time work for students. It should be noted that any primary income absorption, other than parental income, affects the student’s financial need assessment. But nonetheless, there are four significant benefits that scholarships have for students. First, scholarships are a form of gift aid. This means that they do not require a student to work off the financial aid received by a certain time period, or require them to take out a loan that will eventually need repayment. The importance of this benefit cannot be overemphasized. Students who are able to graduate debt-free enter the workforce without the burden of having to pay off student loans. This can set the individual life on a course of financial success from the beginning, rather than being slowed down because of student debt. For students who also receive the Pell Grant, a scholarship can complement this type of gift aid because many times the grant and scholarship together will cover full tuition costs, leaving the student with extra for books and living expenses. Any additional aid that allows students to lessen work hours is beneficial because it allows more time for academic involvement and development. Finally, scholarships are a form of self-esteem and encouragement for students. The confidence of graduating with honors is often held by the students who receive the most scholarship support. This motivation to maintain a certain GPA in order to keep the scholarship can lead to preparation for graduate study, laying the foundation for a lifetime of success in careers suited for only those with advanced degrees.

3. How Scholarships Impact Students’ Lives

Scholarships influence students’ lives in numerous and significant ways. The funds received from the scholarship will reduce the financial burden on the student and the family. For example, partial scholarships or academic scholarships can lessen the worry of the cost of tuition and make an education at a college or university more affordable. Especially in today’s society, where the average “cost of attendance at a public 4-year institution is $14,915 for the 2003-2004 academic year, 4.8 percent higher than it was in 2002-03, and an average of $37,327 at private 4-year institutions” (nces.ed.gov). Research shows that financial stress can have a negative influence on cognitive function, which can result in the impediment of academic performance. For many students, this can result in the inability to attend institutions of higher education. By receiving a scholarship, these students are able to alleviate this stress and focus more on their studies, rather than on how they will pay for school. In addition, many scholarship funders offer renewal of the award if a student is able to maintain a certain GPA. This serves as an incentive for students to perform well in their given program of study and is a method of academic encouragement. The reduction of financial stress can lead to an increase in student morale and academic performance, which can have a significant impact on a student’s education and their future.

4. The Role of Scholarships in Promoting Diversity

Faculty and administrators throughout the United States realize the importance of diversity of all kinds within the student body. As Zach Miners stated in U.S. News and World Report, college campuses need a critical mass of minority students and a more inviting campus environment to successfully foster cross-cultural understanding. There are numerous benefits to both the individual and the institution in promoting diversity through scholarships. A study done by the American Council on Education found that the campus environment is very important in influencing students’ attitudes toward cultural differences. When students were asked about what experiences had contributed to their appreciation of diversity, interacting with students from different backgrounds topped the list. Offering scholarships to minority students helps to create a more culturally diverse campus, thereby providing an environment where students can learn from and be better prepared to function in today’s diverse society. In the same study, students who had interacted with peers from different racial or ethnic backgrounds were more likely to be satisfied with their college experience and rate their institutions highly. This is directly linked to retention and graduation rates of minority students. The same study showed that students who received a minority scholarship were more likely to be satisfied with their college experience and remain enrolled. High levels of campus satisfaction and retention rates are a positive outcome for both students and institutions. An institution can only truly benefit students in preparing them to function in a diverse society if the campus has a critical mass of minority students and consistent interaction among students of different backgrounds. This is the most convincing reason for institutions to develop minority scholarships as a means to promote diversity.

5. Conclusion

The expectation of higher education institutions regarding scholarships and their effects on educational practice shows that there is potential for scholarships to improve both the diversity and academic strength in academia. Results show that higher education institutions believe that scholarships have positive effects on both student quality and student quality differentials and can improve the general performance and quality of students. This is an area that is important to be addressed for future scholarship programs, as there is a need for some form of change in educational quality and student quality, and scholarships could be a way of achieving this positive change.

Scholarships are not only a form of financial aid but can have positive effects on student persistence and retention, while also contributing to student academic success. However, it is important to take note that results were varied between different groups of students. This suggests that there is a need to target specific groups of students that are at risk of dropping out or failing to achieve their full potential. An understanding of the types of students that a scholarship is targeting was noted as being essential in shaping future scholarships and educational policies.

Key messages from the research show that there is an increase in scholarships and their availability to students. However, there is a need to educate potential students and their families about the availability of scholarships and the criteria that would be required to obtain a scholarship. This raises the issue of marketing scholarships to students and outlining clearly what the scholarship entails and what students need to do to obtain a certain scholarship.

Throughout the essay, the importance of scholarships has been discussed. An array of topics has been covered such as scholarship availability and award criteria, as well as the impact of scholarship programs on student persistence, retention, and academic success. Other key areas that have been discussed include knowledge of the types of students that scholarships are aimed towards and the expectations of higher education institutions and how these expectations shape educational practice.