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We get few applicants for Scholarships.

Flysure1

Active Member
I have belonged to a local Masonic lodge for about 10 years, our district has a couple fundraisers yearly to fund 2 scholarships given to local graduating seniors. We require no Masonic ties and we do not specify what the money must be spent on, just college related. You must submit a 300 word essay on a subject we pick. All applications must be returned to me by 4-30-2012. I catalog and then forward the essay only to be judged by a group of three--they have no info where it came from--they are small high schools for the most part (prob less than 1,000 students total combined enrollment) but we have had the applications available at the 7 high schools for nearly a month and I have yet to receive a single applicant!--last year we had 12 total apply and they were in the last week. I have had the info that they were available in the schools published in 4 different newspapers and I have sent it to 3 radio stations trying to get it aired -- We are kind of frustrated about the poor turn out we get on this. We have talked about trying to get it up to two $1,000. scholarships but I think $750 should get some better responce---I remember when our daughter graduated in 02 there were a lot of scholarships for a lot less-----Ideas?---we are not in a financial position to give thousands right now but we might be there in a few years.
 
There's also no one owning up to winning those mega millions.

If no one responds roll it over to next year I guess.
 
I bet a lot of students don't know the scholarship exists. Most of them likely don't read the newspaper or wouldn't even know where to look for the scholarship. The other thing I can think of is that they might be waiting until last minute because it is a pretty small $ amount. That's no knock at you or your fellow masons. I would have been happy to get $750 but I never would have thought to look to the local Masonic Lodge. Also $750 will really help with expenses but honestly when schools are charging $40,000 I think new students might not realize what $750 can do to help them. Is it possible to go directly to the local High Schools and give info about the scholarship to a guidance counselor?
 
"nymustang" said:
I bet a lot of students don't know the scholarship exists. Most of them likely don't read the newspaper or wouldn't even know where to look for the scholarship. The other thing I can think of is that they might be waiting until last minute because it is a pretty small $ amount. That's no knock at you or your fellow masons. I would have been happy to get $750 but I never would have thought to look to the local Masonic Lodge. Also $750 will really help with expenses but honestly when schools are charging $40,000 I think new students might not realize what $750 can do to help them. Is it possible to go directly to the local High Schools and give info about the scholarship to a guidance counselor?
I didn't clarify enough--when I said it was in the schools I meant it is hand delivered to each school, either the counselor or faculty, I realize it is a pretty small amount but a lot of the locals around here go to a couple of Jr. colleges that are well attended--that might buy 1 semester of books or put a dent in the gas bill--I write them a check with no strings attached if they are one of the 2 selected.
 
You'll be hearing from me soon, Rod, as I'm applying to the School of Hard Knocks. I could use the cash!


Hmmm...$750 divided by $18.99 per bottle of YJ yields 3 cases plus three more bottles. Should last me for a month or so...
 
"nymustang" said:
...Also $750 will really help with expenses but honestly when schools are charging $40,000 I think new students might not realize what $750 can do to help them.

I know of a local kid going to Texas Christian University in Fort Worth fully funded by small scholarships like this.
He spent a lot of time searching them out and putting forth the effort to apply.
 
And a dad riding his butt to make sure he does????

My wife got a full ride from the rotary club for her masters......of course she did it in Amsterdam....
 
To have the attention of young people , you have to choose for the latest communication sources,
Like facebook , Twitter , chatrooms or something like that.
 
"1497" said:
I know of a local kid going to Texas Christian University in Fort Worth fully funded by small scholarships like this.
He spent a lot of time searching them out and putting forth the effort to apply.

those are the keywords: "putting forth the effort to apply". i think many of the kids today have that "everyone owes me something" attitude & expect things to get handed to them. i guarantee if you had a scholarship offer that was solely based on "text your name here to apply" there would be many more applicants. our oldest once told us "i'm your child, it's YOUR responsibility to pay for my college if i want to go". we had a good come to jesus meeting based on the philosophy of "we'll help you, but you have to help yourself".
 
I need to go to school to learn how to weld. Where do I send the essay?

Kids now just expect everything handed to them. I'm 16, buy me a car. Etc. They don't want to work for it.
 
Come on now, be fair. Yes today's kids are "interesting" but don't hang this all on that. Parents have always been the main driver in quest for finanical aid. Sure some kids have taken the initiative but most were pushed by mom and dad. How many of today's moms and dads even think about lodges? Let alone for tuition help. I suspect this is a larger reason you don't see more interest. They have no clue what your group is about. Plus, they probably think you guys are up to no good trying to rule the world and such (thanks to Nick Cage and his stupid movies!).
Unless we're talking small town America, aren't lodges going the way of dinosaurs? Hell, even the tiny town where I went to HS has a problem keeping the lodge going. Members are dying off and new ones aren't joining. I have gone to their quarterly dinner/gambling nights for years and the crowd gets smaller each time.
 
To me, it sounds like your criteria of graduating seniors may be to narrow.

For years, I was the annual $2K music scholarship administrator for my local Lions Club. We did the same same thing of providing checks directly to the winners. Our requirements included 3 letters of recommendation, essay, grades, video or audio, and completed application. We award between $500 and $750 per winner, which I think is plenty and gives us an opportunity to spread the cash around

Initially, we were only open to HS seniors, but got few candidates. When we expanded to HS juniors, seniors and 1st and 2nd year local college students, out candidate pool increased. Some years we would get 15-20 applications and others we'd get 3-5. I don't know why.

Anyway, I would consider expanding your candidate pool.
 
"Fast68back" said:
And a dad riding his butt to make sure he does????

My wife got a full ride from the rotary club for her masters......of course she did it in Amsterdam....

Sadly, no. His Dad died after a long fight with cancer which had pretty much depleted all the family's assets. He knew scholarships and loans were his options. Good kid, good family, he'll do well in life.

I could never have gone to school in Amsterdam, the coffee shops would have been a distraction.
 
"Horseplay" said:
Come on now, be fair. Yes today's kids are "interesting" but don't hang this all on that. Parents have always been the main driver in quest for finanical aid. Sure some kids have taken the initiative but most were pushed by mom and dad. How many of today's moms and dads even think about lodges? Let alone for tuition help. I suspect this is a larger reason you don't see more interest. They have no clue what your group is about. Plus, they probably think you guys are up to no good trying to rule the world and such (thanks to Nick Cage and his stupid movies!).
Unless we're talking small town America, aren't lodges going the way of dinosaurs? Hell, even the tiny town where I went to HS has a problem keeping the lodge going. Members are dying off and new ones aren't joining. I have gone to their quarterly dinner/gambling nights for years and the crowd gets smaller each time.


I put it in 4 different print publications(trying to get parents interest)--three are sent to homes free, the kids do not have to ask anything about lodges, it is given to the counselor/secretary or principal in each school by hand, not mailed. I think it is the "give" me society we have created that is part of the problem. And most of the towns involved are "small town USA"--the biggest school is in a town of 17,000. the rest are 3-5 thousand pop. I never got any applicants today either. -- As for the lodges dying , most are every year like you said, we are lucky in our tiny lodge to have gotten some 30 somethings to join and be active--not the norm but it is great.
 
You can send it to me and I'll save it for when my boys go to college...they're 10 (almost 11) so they should be college bound in about 8 years...they have been making straight A's and had perfect attendance in 4th grade this year :)
 
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