Desserts After Dinner

What if scholarships were awarded after a student completed schooling? In our current system scholarships come before the student begins his or her academic journey and function as assistance to cover expenses. Though awarded on the basis of “merit”, these awards are dispersed with an assumption of student success. Or, are scholarships awarded simply on the basis of potential? What if this system of awarding potential was different: what if financial awards came after the student performed well?

A system of post-graduate scholarships discards the function of financial assistance. Where the scholarship awarded before beginning school functions to cover costs, this post-graduate system denies this assistance and requires greater demand on other sources. Some may argue this system favors the wealthy, but of the 20 million students who attend school 60% take out loans. Based on these numbers scholarships play a minor role in assisting potential students.

Required to take out more loans, the potential student who functions in a system where scholarships are awarded post-graduation works now to succeed. Working from an understanding that assistance may arrive if he or she performs well function as additional incentive to graduate. With more students attending college, the post-graduate scholarship can function as a motivator for all students.

Beyond the benefits to students the funds of government and private groups are better utilized in a post-graduate scholarship system. Awarding a student before he or she starts school determines merit on the basis of past experience and performance. This assumes quite a bit and given that the college experience will be very different and likely more difficult that previous academic experience the chance for failure is possible. A better system awards students after graduation and after success. The elimination of wasted funds provides more students with assistance and drives each to work harder.

A better system of academic assistance function on the basis of post-graduate status. Students should receive assistance after he or she has graduated. This system eliminates waste for both governments and private groups and provides additional motivation to each student. Driven to succeed for both the diploma and the scholarship, each student can work harder knowing the multiple benefits that stem from college completion may also include financial help. Money earned for effort made- a better way for all.