The Tall Women's Scholarship requires applicants to be a hefty five feet, ten inches. It's not an unreachable goal, at least not for me. At five feet, nine inches, my boss suggested that I simply go to the chiropractor. "They'll stretch you out for sure!" he says. I have no doubt, but should I really have to go to the doctor to apply for a scholarship?
There's tons of free money out there for sure, but how much is there for the average applicant? Female. White. Straight. Middle class. Protestant. But despite those demographics, I think I should still have a chance to go the college of my choice. At this point I'm about 7k short of being able to afford my top choice of schools. It's sickening to me how easy it would be to get that money. Who's going to tell me I'm not gay? I've found at least 6 scholarships I would be an excellent applicant for...were I not straight.
Problem number one here is that the current system makes it nearly impossible for me, and thousands of other high school seniors, to find scholarships that are appropriate. There's so much money out there, but who's going to remember the average people? No, I haven't lost a parent. No, I'm not a parent myself. And I haven't had cancer either. This sucks. Why do I have to have suffered extraordinarily to be able to afford school? Just because I haven't contracted AIDS, am I boring?
The second major issue with the current college application and financial process is that so many people can scam it. I mean, if I apply for lesbian scholarships, is anyone really going to show up at my door and tell me 'you're not gay!'? Of course not. That doesn't make it right, but it seems like more and more people are willing to cheat the system so they can pay for their education. It's tempting, I'll admit it, but after going through so much to be able to to afford school myself, there's no way I want to make it even more difficult for other applicants.
The truth is, average just isn't enough anymore. But you don't have to be anything more than normal to do extraordinary things. And who's to say that I will be defined by the number on the scale? I refuse to be identified that way; I am not my parents, I am not my past, I am not my hometown, I am not my sexuality. What's going to make me succeed isn't my religious affiliation, the number of parents in my household, my height or my skin color. My success will be measured by the way I respond to these circumstances, far more than what these circumstances specifically are.
I believe normal is enough.
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I whole-heartedly agree!!
As a 5'9" lady myself, I believe that we are above the average (at least in height). The average American woman is 5'4". That puts at least the two of us 5 whole inches above the average. That should make me a "Tall Woman" shouldn't it? I too am searching for scholarships, as a student going from undergraduate to graduate schools, but also finding that you need to be extremely exceptional to find more money to pay for school.
What about my exceptional academic record?
What about my exceptional community service and leadership?
What about my exceptional work ethic?
What about my exceptional dedication to my family, my school, and my studies?
Why do I need to have some crazy extenuating circumstances in order to apply for these scholarships? Why can't I be awarded based on my actions and efforts?
I wholeheartedly agree with you. It's good to know i'm not the only one out there. woot for the 5'9" ladies!
Peace and blessings,
-Liz
Although I am 5'3, I don't quaify for either the Tall scholarship, OR the short scholarship...but yet, there is no "Average Height" scholarship!
I have also learned that as a very lucky winner to my schools "Presidental Scholarship" of $60,000 over four years (Its given to about 40/50 freshman out of 300/400), I still cannot pay for my entire tuition, in fact, I'm left with about 10,000 to 15,000 a year to pay. (including books etc). I recently learned that if I win enough scholarships, and I win MORE than tuition, they LOWER my scholarship!!! I'm so mad, I don't think that I will win more, but shouldn't I be REWARDED for winning them? I don't think it's very fair to say, "you are a great student, look at all the money you have won...oh yeah, we're taking some away because you won too much." UGH!
On another average note: Have you ever noticed that the "above average" aka gifted kids in your school get EVERYTHING? In my school, they send ALL the field trips to them...they get the Journalism and Art field trips even though we have BOTH programs in our school. What crap! The "Below-average" kids get a lot, too! In Elementary school they went on ski trips and had parties in their rooms ALL the time. (Along with, of course, the gifted kids). The AVERAGE kids got to go to the zoo every 3 years.
GRR....and everyone wonders WHY I want to open my own school...
PS: Sorry for going off in a rant, but this MAKES ME MAD. (Obviously...lol)
~In order to have a better society, we need to CREATE a better society."
Thanks for standing up for us average people :)
"We must follow the argument wherever it leads" -- Socrates