Proportion of Scholarship Funds for Prospective vs. Continuing Students

Joel Spiess

I lead a central scholarship office for a university and have been working with the head of one of our schools on the scholarships strategy for their unit. They posed an interesting question to me: What is the ideal balance for allocating scholarship funds between prospective and continuing students (e.g., 50% each)? I haven't heard of or read about such a figure, so I thought I would ask this group. Certainly, it depends on the awarding unit, their objectives, etc., but I'm curious if anyone here has additional insights.

Christin Grissom

@Joel Spiess from my previous experience leading a scholarship department that managed internal and externally funded awards, the answer to this mostly fell back on donor requirements/preferences if the funds were restricted, or the department's strategy if the funds were unrestricted. If the funds are unrestricted, consider where the greatest need is for the student base and even better, if this also aligns with the institution's goals. Do incoming students or returning students have higher unmet need gaps? Could the funds be used to help them recruit high achieving or marginalized student populations? Could the funds be used in emergent situations to prevent a student from dropping out? In light of the FAFSA debacle, have they identified students that are at risk of not enrolling or returning unless they receive additional funding support? Just some ideas. Happy to brainstorm others if you need. Reach out anytime!