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| − | '''Merit Scholarships''' are tuition payments, typically for [[college]], that [[reward]] a [[student]] for [[academic]] achievement, usually based on [[College Board]] exams. | + | '''Merit Scholarships''' are tuition payments for higher education that reward a student for academic achievement, usually based on [[College Board]] exams. Athletic scholarships are "merit" because they are based on performance on the field of play. |
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| | + | These differ from other scholarships that are "need-based". There is a raging debate in higher education on the matter. |
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| | + | Merit scholarships bring in better students with more skills, who raise the level of performance of ''other'' students. They also raise the goals and aspirations of high school students,m providing a reward for scholarly excellence. They are favored by conservatives. Need based scholarships spread the wealth and help disadvantaged groups whose students do not perform as well; they are favored by liberals. |
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| − | These differ from other scholarships that are "need-based" or liberal scholarships given out on the basis of race, gender, "overcoming" sexuality, or "quirkiness" such as being left-handed or being a high school student that can be shaped into an atheistic [[Ayn Rand]] or J.D. Salinger scholar or a liberal like [[David Letterman]]<ref>http://www.finaid.org/scholarships/unusual.phtml</ref>.
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| | ==Reference== | | ==Reference== |