Blocked from SJU "Merit-Based" Scholarship Because

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I'm a student in Singapore looking to further his studies overseas, and during an American Education Fair on October, the representative of Saint Joseph's University from Philly was selling this merit-based scholarship by essay-writing competition to me. Purportedly, the terms were 4 years of fully paid-for tuition at $32k/year if I won the essay-writing competition that was to be held at the US Embassy here. The only requirement was for myself to get accepted through the application process.

I took the trouble of completing my application and sending all of these supporting documents, and then they come along and tell me that I cannot even try my hand at the scholarship now because I'm 22 this year, and could not be considered a "day undergraduate". Despite calling this a "merit-based" scholarship, I got rejected not because I was not good enough, but because I made the inadvertent mistake of being born too early. Despite my telling their representative here that I was 22, nothing was said in response to that. It's hardly fair that I could be blocked off like this when I spent my ages 20-22 in mandatory military National Service, and it was impossible for me to ask for a deferment or disruption unless I wanted to try for it by skipping town and face a life behind bars should I ever return home. I was never allowed to start higher education until I was done with holding a rifle for my country.

Are US colleges sneaky like this? This is thoroughly destroying my impression of education in the US now, because the sort of bureaucratic sneakiness on technicalities isn't any different from the government-obsessed Singapore that I live in.

Odds are they are unaware that hardly anyone could qualify for this scholarship based on the military service issue consuming their time during the ages they want to choose people from.

However, it's their money...their rules. If you let them know about the situation, they might consider revising the rules for certain nations, but what they are probably aiming for is to reward people of a common age group. Heck, having military service would make you atypical for most college students these types of awards are geared towards.

Wow. I never thought that US universities are such ageist discriminating institutions - after all their talking about "equal opportunities" and such! So much for my idealistic opinion about US education.

Nevertheless, do not lose hope. We can try other colleges, if not colleges in other countries like UK even if they are kind of 'undesirable'.

#1:

Welcome to the absurdity of American academia.

Yeah, that's absolutely crazy. I think it's about time to start compiling a list of educational institutions known to deny or limit entry opportunities for applicants based on their race, sex, age or other factors beyond their control.

I would rather see it as inflexibility on SJU's part. I suppose all Singaporeans would know how static our government is, laws here are fixed and there is no room for bending. It's hilarious that this educational institution is as rigid as our laws. Just as we can't chew gum in Singapore, we can't apply to SJU's scholarship because we are aged above 21. Should we continue to bother apply to this college that implicitly shuts out Singaporeans for the National Service we do?

Why doesn't SJU accept the fact that you did National Service that was required by Singapore's law and just accept you by exemption by the rule, if you really show that you are academically able to handle the high-level academic demands in SJU? Should you try other scholarships instead? Do not despair, just continue to try other alternatives.

Although ageism sounds absurd, we will have to prove in our lives (if we are willing to work for this cause) that such ageism will not stop us from succeeding in our lives!

Thanks. Now I finally understrand that the whole case as just 'confusion of both sides'. What a pity. But yeah, just keep working hard and who knows you might succeed?