Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Counselor's Desk

by Donald Crane

Two weeks ago, I wrote about some possible scholarship scams of which students and parents should be aware. Presently, it appears that scams are rampant in our state.

I subscribe to a publication called The Scholarship Watch , and upon receiving the current issue, I noticed they had printed a consuemr alert concerning the bogus search firms which charge a fee and claim to guarantee scholarship money.

The FTC (Federal Trade Commission) has launched a crackdown on such fraud. The agency has developed the following list of official criteria to caution students and consumers and tell them what to look and listen for in the following tell-tale lines:

(1) The scholarship is guaranteed or your money back.

(2) You can't get this information anywhere else.

(3) I just need your credit card or bank account number to hold this scholarship.

(4) We'll do all the work.

(5) The scholarship will cost some money. (Meaning you will have to pay a sizeable up-front fee before you can receive the scholarship monies.)

(6) You've been selected by a national foundation to receive a scholarship -- or you're a finalist in a contest you never entered.

The FTC emphasizes that the most important element which separates a legitimate company from a bogus one is that the legitimate companies never guarantee or promise scholarships or grants. Those with comptuers can visit the FTC website for more information on fraud (http://www.ftc.gov).

I know every parent thinks there should be a scholarship for his child, and there probably is. But he may not get it!

Most scholarship sources are limited to a certain number and have to turn down many eligible and worthy students. A student's grade point average, rank in class, or ACT score may limit or exclude him from consideration. The family income is a big consideration on many scholarships, and I have always had a problem with that. Why call something a scholarship and eliminate an outstanding student because his parents earn a certain amount? Those should be called a "low or limited income scholarship."

A good case in point is the Arkansas Academic Challenge Scholarship. Every word of the title indicates that it is designed for a hard-working, scholastic-minded student.

Well, the smartest student in the state of Arkansas can apply, but if his parents earn more than $40,000, he will have a difficult time qualifying.

There are varying levels of acceptable income, depending on the number of children a family has, and seniors need to apply -- even if they feel they are ineligible.

A senior can apply only during his graduating year, and if his income changed at a later time, he might qualify. Marriage is one of those circumstances which could bring about the change. Of course, marriage changes everything. Doesn't it?