Underpaid Upperclassmen
By SHANNON LISTORTI
March 15 is an important day for any prospective Texas Christian University freshman. It’s the day to anxiously wait at the mailbox for a white envelope with purple type on the top left corner from a certain return address: The Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid. Tucked tightly in the envelope is a formal letter of congratulations to the recipient of one of the five freshman scholarships that are awarded based on academic achievement in high school. In all the excitement, it’s easy to forget about the other anxious students. March 15 is usually when current TCU undergraduates are scrambling to finish papers, studying for midterms, and completing all their homework before taking off for spring break. With TCU’s focus on finalizing the incoming freshman class, current students won’t be receiving any white envelopes bearing news of scholarships, despite their long hours in the library making flashcards, pulling all-nighters, and working hard to maintain a high GPA.
Upperclassmen, especially juniors and seniors, are rarely awarded for their academic achievement. In comparison, many incoming freshmen are given scholarship awards based simply on submission of their TCU college application. Associate Dean of Admission, Wes Waggnor, explained in a Daily Skiff article that “the academic scholarships that TCU awards [to incoming freshman] are the Chancellor's Scholarship (full tuition), Dean's ($14,000 per year), Faculty ($10,500), TCU ($7,500) and Founders ($3,500).” Each scholarship amount is given per year for four years if the student agrees to follow the scholarship’s terms. According to TCU’s Admissions page, these scholarship decisions are merit-based. The exact definition of “merit-based” is unclear, and Waggnor confirmed that “no specific guidelines for designating each level of scholarship exist.”
Once students reach their junior year, hope for a merit-based scholarship from TCU’s Financial Aid must be abandoned. As a freshman, I had the impression that TCU was generous with their awards. My opinion changed as I saw how the opportunity for aid dwindled as I progressed in my years enrolled at TCU. As early as sophomore year, the awards come to an abrupt halt. TCU advises upperclassmen students to seek scholarships from their specific departments because they stop awarding merit-based awards after freshman year. With the costs of tuition, housing, meal plans, extra spending money, and the unavoidable tuition increases, upperclassmen are struck with the reality of how expensive college is and how little TCU contributes past a student’s freshman year.
Receiving a freshman scholarship is a great incentive for students to attend the university, but excluding the Chancellor’s scholarship (full-tuition), the $3,500 to $14,000 per year amounts still make only a small dent in the estimated $43,860 per year tuition. Many students who received these smaller scholarships realize in their second, third, and fourth years that there are no more opportunities for aid, especially if they do not qualify for need-based aid. According to the 2010 Washington National University Rankings in Washington Monthly, only 11% of TCU students are receiving the Federal Pell Grant, a grant for low-income students that gives them the opportunity for a higher education and an example of need-based aid. Michael Scott, Director of Financial Aid, said in a Daily Skiff article that “most TCU students aren't eligible to receive money from the Federal Pell Grant Program because their families make too much money.”
Mike Scott also said that “approximately 40 percent of the freshman class will have an academic scholarship.” This may sound promising, but what about the other 60% who may not have received an incoming scholarship but excel while attending TCU? Upperclassmen who failed to receive a scholarship, but display qualities worthy of recognition should be given the same chance as incoming freshman to receive awards. If TCU could reward these students, it would show the university’s appreciation of their hard work and dedication. Also, incoming freshmen who received smaller scholarships could have the opportunity to apply for more financial aid once they have proven continued academic success in their sophomore and junior years.
As an incoming freshman, I did not receive a scholarship from the Office of Scholarship and Financial Aid and was told that my small $3,500 need-based grant was all I could get. Now that I am a junior with a 3.75 GPA, long list of campus involvement, John V. Roach Honors college membership, a repeated Dean’s List recipient, and a middle-income household classification, I still have not been offered any “merit-based” scholarships. When I tried to ask for scholarship opportunity, I was encouraged to apply for loans.
It makes sense that TCU offers scholarships to help convince incoming students to put on the purple and declare themselves horned frogs. The problem isn’t that they shouldn’t receive any awards for their high school achievements and acceptance into college; the problem is that the generosity stops at freshman year, leaving upperclassman digging to find financial assistance. The aid distribution needs to be more equal so that TCU makes sure to acknowledge all students. Even though TCU claims in their 2010-2011 catalogue that they “reward academic achievement”, the only real awards are for incoming freshman.
According to the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid, the requirement to keep a scholarship is a 3.0 cumulative GPA, which calculates to a “B” average, at the end of the freshman year and a 3.25 cumulative GPA for the remaining years (almost a B+). The student also must only pass 24 credit-hours a year which is the bare minimum to be considered a full-time student. If a student loses their freshman scholarship at any point in their college career and fails to meet his or her scholarship requirements, the funds are redistributed back to more incoming freshmen. This “lost” money could easily be rewarded to a deserving upperclassman student instead so that there is more of a balance in awards. If TCU can award upperclassmen achievement, then upperclassmen would feel more valued and even willing to donate back to the University once they graduate.
Through the Campaign for TCU, the university has raised $76 million of their $100 million goal for a new scholarship initiative. Out of the six sections of future financial support areas, three were aimed at incoming freshman. The other three sections aimed at awards for need-based students, athletes and graduate students. Nowhere in the Campaign’s plans was a section listed for deserving upperclassman who had excelled once they enrolled at TCU. Once you pay your first year’s tuition, it seems as if you are a locked into an annual price.
The Campaign for TCU claims on its web page that “students are TCU's most precious resource.” The university should already believe in the positive responses of awarding students who have demonstrated the highest academics. Upperclassmen make up the majority of undergraduate students. When these students excel, it helps the university’s reputation. As of right now, upperclassman scholarships are rare and often have a very difficult and lengthy application process. For example, the Mission Statement Scholarship is a scholarship awarded to a junior who “best lives the Mission Statement.” The application consists of three professional recommendations, a resume approved by Career Services and the completion of five essay questions for an award of $6,000 for a student’s senior year. Nick Whitesell, Assistant Dean of Campus Life, admitted that the application was lengthier than it should be and that it might be re-evaluated for next year because of the application process. Another scholarship, the Sandra Brown Excellence in Literacy Scholarship also known as “ELF,” requires a student to be an English or writing major and submit a writing portfolio of 50 to 70 pages displaying their writing abilities. The application is almost like a small novel and, although it covers two years of tuition, it is rare and hard for a student to receive.
Because of TCU’s recent football win at the Rose Bowl, applications to TCU have increased dramatically. According to the Daily Skiff, TCU received almost 18,000 applications as of early February, which is “3,500 more than last year’s total.” With more applications, there is “increased competition for admission, which also means higher standards for scholarship consideration.” Since the concentration of TCU’s funds are on incoming freshman, the Office of Financial Aid neglects to help out upperclassmen and financial advisor, Jennifer Zettler, says that means it’s time to “apply for outside scholarships” or take out thousands of dollars worth of loans.
I can’t help but feel discouraged when I see a group of smiling prospective TCU students touring campus, knowing that their chances of financial help are much better than mine although they have yet to attend a college class. I’ve got almost three years of successful college years under my belt, yet I’m the one being neglected merit-based scholarships. An opinion article in the Daily Skiff titled “Freshman Shouldn’t Be the Only Students Getting Attention” reflects on how the majority of TCU’s amenities and events are mostly geared towards freshman. For a college whose four-year experience costs an estimated $172,000, upperclassmen deserve a little bit of financial attention and recognition for being successful while at TCU.
The solution to this financial fiasco is a redistribution of funds. There should be just as many opportunities for upperclassmen to be awarded merit-based scholarships as freshman because TCU upperclassmen make up the majority of the students and deserve recognition for their hard work. A student’s success should mean more in college than in high school, and TCU needs to recognize that. A portion of the $100 million scholarship initiative from The Campaign for TCU should help upperclassmen feel like their university values them along with the new incoming freshman. The beauty of a white envelope from The Office of Scholarship and Financial aid should be a gift that any TCU student can enjoy.