I Just Lost 2 Thousand Dollars

TychoCelchuuuTychoCelchuuu Anememone Join Date: 2002-03-23 Member: 345Members
<div class="IPBDescription">US Dollars, not play Canadian money</div>Ever heard of the National Merit Scholarship? It's a thing you qualify for with your test scores. Score really high on the PSAT or whatever and you're in the running. First you're a semifinalist. After that, you write an essay and also take the SAT, and if you're still "da bomb" (academically of course) after all that you're a finalist. Finalists are eligible for money in 2 ways: they either win the National Merit Scholarship (one time payment, 2 and a half grand) or they get a scholarship from some other place. I automatically went with way #2: my father is a Boeing employee, and Boeing provides 1.5 grand a year for four years to the dependants of Boeing employees who are National Merit Finalists. Sounds great right? 6 thousand dollars just for not being developmentally disabled or smoking excessive amounts of whatever it is the cool kids smoke, all because my dad sells airplanes!

Yeah I liked the sound of that too. Today I got a letter from Washington University in St. Louis, where I'm going next year, telling me all about my scholarship stuff. Basically it said "sign here and send this paper back to get your Boeing scholarship." I also got the book which talks about all their other scholarships too.

WUSTL is pretty nice. If you're a National Merit Scholar (like I might or might not have been if Boeing had not graciously provided me with my current scholarship) they take that 2.5 grand you get your Freshman year, and they give it to you again the next three years you study there. That's a lot of money. 10 grand overall, although being a National Merit Scholar is actually sort of hard.

Here's the rub though. If you're only a finalist, and you don't actually win a National Merit Scholarship, they still think you're cool. Cool enough to get 2k a year for four years.

Yeah, $2,000 a year for four years if you're a finalist but not a winner.

But I'm a winner.

I won $1,500 a year for four years.

From Boeing.

They even had a luncheon for all the winners. I got my picture taken with a certificate and they gave me a clock and a keychain that lights up.

And they took my 2 thousand dollars.

Seriously. I can't call WUSTL and try to argue for the extra 500, because that's only for runners-up, not the winners. I can't ditch the Boeing scholarship because they're already paying it, not to mention I ate their food (good food though), got their free admission to the Museum of Flight, and shook their astronaut's hand.

At least I got to see Spaceship One at the luncheon. And an SR-71 Blackbird. VROOOM.

<img src="http://www.me.utexas.edu/rutan/images/spaceshipone02.jpg" border="0" alt="IPB Image" />

<img src="http://perso.orange.fr/romain.g/sr71-1.jpg" border="0" alt="IPB Image" />
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Comments

  • CyndaneCyndane Join Date: 2003-11-15 Member: 22913Members
    I love scholarships and how they work. YOU GO TYCHO!

    Bad Canadian play money!
  • ThansalThansal The New Scum Join Date: 2002-08-22 Member: 1215Members, Constellation
    edited June 2007
    ok, my sympathies for you went right out the window.

    You lost out on 500, not 2K.

    Oh, and I didn't do well enough on my PSATto start the entire NM stuff. (only got like an 1100, though I did get a 1400 on my SAT, both times never studied, and in fact I forgot about the PSAT until I got to school that day....)
    Oh, and I am upper middle class white male, so no one wanted to give me squat.


    Oh, and congratulations on doing well enough to get the Boeing scholarship <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile-fix.gif" />
  • TychoCelchuuuTychoCelchuuu Anememone Join Date: 2002-03-23 Member: 345Members
    <!--quoteo(post=1636574:date=Jun 29 2007, 06:55 PM:name=Thansal)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Thansal @ Jun 29 2007, 06:55 PM) [snapback]1636574[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->
    ok, my sympathies for you went right out the window.

    You lost out on 500, not 2K.

    Oh, and I didn't do well enough on my PSATto start the entire NM stuff. (only got like an 1100, though I did get a 1400 on my SAT, both times never studied, and in fact I forgot about the PSAT until I got to school that day....)
    Oh, and I am upper middle class white male, so no one wanted to give me squat.
    Oh, and congratulations on doing well enough to get the Boeing scholarship <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile-fix.gif" />
    <!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    Oww, no Merit Scholarship for you. Your math needs work. My Boeing thing pays 1.5 grand a year for four years. WUSTL would have paid 2k a year for 4 years. That's 500 bucks a year, times four years, 2 grand.

    And don't try that "I forgot about the PSAT" or "I'm a white upper middle class male so nobody loves me." Both of those apply to me, too. And I almost got 2k more than I actually did! So there.
  • OmegamanOmegaman Join Date: 2004-01-11 Member: 25239Members
    <!--quoteo(post=1636575:date=Jun 29 2007, 08:59 PM:name=TychoCelchuuu)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(TychoCelchuuu @ Jun 29 2007, 08:59 PM) [snapback]1636575[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->My Boeing thing pays 1.5 grand a year for four years. WUSTL would have paid 2k a year for 4 years. That's 500 bucks a year, times four years, 2 grand.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    <i>Ohhhhhh</i>

    Oh, I see. It doesn't stack.
  • ThansalThansal The New Scum Join Date: 2002-08-22 Member: 1215Members, Constellation
    edited June 2007
    yah, you are right. my math DOES need work (where I faltered on the PSAT and SAT, though you would never guess it from my inability to form comprehensible sentences here).

    Either way, still, congratulations, and be happy with what you have <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile-fix.gif" />


    though, I agree with you, the entire thing is rather silly, you didn't win the NMS, you were a finalist, they should give you 2K (who cares if Boeing is also giving you a prize for being second place, college students need as much money as they can get).

    I know my brother was a NMS finalist, but I don't think he got anything out of that (this is something like 8 years ago, so pardon me for the faulty memory <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tounge.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":p" border="0" alt="tounge.gif" />)
  • X_StickmanX_Stickman Not good enough for a custom title. Join Date: 2003-04-15 Member: 15533Members, Constellation
    I was so expecting "But I just saved a <b>fortune</b> on my car insurance!" to be the message in the post.


    I have no idea how scholarships work here, mostly because I never looked into it. But hey, I live alone with my disabled mother (who can't work, so she's on benefits) so my adjusted student loan (they change depending on how much assistance you get from parents, which is none for me) is high! HIGH!

    I have to pay it back eventually, obviously, but since when did a student think more than a year ahead. Never, that's when.
  • Private_ColemanPrivate_Coleman PhD in Video Games Join Date: 2002-11-07 Member: 7510Members
    You still made like $6k. Also you didn't "lose two thousand dollars" since you never had it to start with.
  • LikuLiku I, am the Somberlain. Join Date: 2003-01-10 Member: 12128Members
    <!--quoteo(post=1636580:date=Jun 29 2007, 08:50 PM:name=Private_Coleman)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Private_Coleman @ Jun 29 2007, 08:50 PM) [snapback]1636580[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->
    You still made like $6k. Also you didn't "lose two thousand dollars" since you never had it to start with.
    <!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    Exactly.

    Get a job if you want $2,000 more ya bum.
  • PetcoPetco Join Date: 2003-07-27 Member: 18478Members, Constellation
    <!--quoteo(post=1636580:date=Jun 29 2007, 07:50 PM:name=Private_Coleman)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Private_Coleman @ Jun 29 2007, 07:50 PM) [snapback]1636580[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->
    You still made like $6k. Also you didn't "lose two thousand dollars" since you never had it to start with.
    <!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    When I clicked this topic, I thought "TychoCelchuuu lost $2,000 from gambling?" or something like that.
  • TychoCelchuuuTychoCelchuuu Anememone Join Date: 2002-03-23 Member: 345Members
    <!--quoteo(post=1636580:date=Jun 29 2007, 07:50 PM:name=Private_Coleman)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Private_Coleman @ Jun 29 2007, 07:50 PM) [snapback]1636580[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->
    You still made like $6k. Also you didn't "lose two thousand dollars" since you never had it to start with.
    <!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    By receiving the Boeing scholarship, I lost the ability to accept the WUSTL scholarship, worth $2,000 more. I would definitely say I lost the money.
  • MonkfishMonkfish Sonic-boom-inducing buttcheeks of terrifying speed&#33; Join Date: 2003-06-03 Member: 16972Members
    I thought you'd lost a huge wad of money down a drain or round the back of the sofa, you know somewhere cool <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/sad-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":(" border="0" alt="sad-fix.gif" />
  • TychoCelchuuuTychoCelchuuu Anememone Join Date: 2002-03-23 Member: 345Members
    <!--quoteo(post=1636589:date=Jun 29 2007, 09:03 PM:name=Sonic)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Sonic @ Jun 29 2007, 09:03 PM) [snapback]1636589[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->
    I thought you'd lost a huge wad of money down a drain or round the back of the sofa, you know somewhere cool <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/sad-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":(" border="0" alt="sad-fix.gif" />
    <!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    Yeah on a scale of one to ten, "round the back of the sofa" is more like a two than an eight. And not even I'm stupide enough to carry around wads of cash that big, and it's even LESS likely that I'd somehow lose said wads of cash.
  • Private_ColemanPrivate_Coleman PhD in Video Games Join Date: 2002-11-07 Member: 7510Members
    <!--quoteo(post=1636588:date=Jun 29 2007, 10:53 PM:name=TychoCelchuuu)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(TychoCelchuuu @ Jun 29 2007, 10:53 PM) [snapback]1636588[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->
    By receiving the Boeing scholarship, I lost the ability to accept the WUSTL scholarship, worth $2,000 more. I would definitely say I lost the money.
    <!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    Nope, you lost the ability to gain money. It was never yours, so you never lost it.
  • [WHO]Them[WHO]Them You can call me Dave Join Date: 2002-12-11 Member: 10593Members, Constellation
    I agree, saying you lost it is misleading. Also, congratulations.

    Maybe you can use that huge brain of yours to headbutt people into giving you $2k over the next 4 years. I really would have expected a national merit scholar to figure that one out.
  • ShockehShockeh If a packet drops on the web and nobody&#39;s near to see it... Join Date: 2002-11-19 Member: 9336NS1 Playtester, Forum Moderators, Constellation
    Yeah, on the other hand, anyone in the UK wanting to go to University gets laughed at, and told you'll <b>maybe</b>, depending on how you score with their little tests, be allowed at most a loan. And you'll pay it back with interest. On that basis, it's a little more difficult to have sympathy here Tycho.

    "Oh boo hoo, I'm not being given quite as much. Woe is me!"
  • TychoCelchuuuTychoCelchuuu Anememone Join Date: 2002-03-23 Member: 345Members
    <!--quoteo(post=1636602:date=Jun 29 2007, 11:21 PM:name=Shockwave)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Shockwave @ Jun 29 2007, 11:21 PM) [snapback]1636602[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->
    Yeah, on the other hand, anyone in the UK wanting to go to University gets laughed at, and told you'll <b>maybe</b>, depending on how you score with their little tests, be allowed at most a loan. And you'll pay it back with interest. On that basis, it's a little more difficult to have sympathy here Tycho.

    "Oh boo hoo, I'm not being given quite as much. Woe is me!"
    <!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    It's not my fault that the rest of the world can't scrape together enough money to waste it on people who don't completely blow the PSAT or whatever. I'm not looking for the "boo hoo" kind of sympathy as much as I am the "that is certainly a perplexing quandry, Tycho" kind of sympathy.
  • Zor2Zor2 Join Date: 2005-01-13 Member: 35341Members, Constellation
    <!--quoteo(post=1636595:date=Jun 30 2007, 12:18 AM:name=Private_Coleman)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Private_Coleman @ Jun 30 2007, 12:18 AM) [snapback]1636595[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->
    Nope, you lost the ability to gain money. It was never yours, so you never lost it.
    <!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    Agreed. Attention-seeking ftl.
  • enf0rcerenf0rcer intrigued... Join Date: 2003-03-16 Member: 14584Members
    <!--quoteo(post=1636664:date=Jun 30 2007, 12:32 PM:name=TychoCelchuuu)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(TychoCelchuuu @ Jun 30 2007, 12:32 PM) [snapback]1636664[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->
    It's not my fault that the rest of the world can't scrape together enough money to waste it on people who don't completely blow the PSAT or whatever. I'm not looking for the "boo hoo" kind of sympathy as much as I am the "that is certainly a perplexing quandry, Tycho" kind of sympathy.
    <!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->


    boo hoo.
  • TychoCelchuuuTychoCelchuuu Anememone Join Date: 2002-03-23 Member: 345Members
    <!--quoteo(post=1636696:date=Jun 30 2007, 12:21 PM:name=Zor2)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Zor2 @ Jun 30 2007, 12:21 PM) [snapback]1636696[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->
    Agreed. Attention-seeking ftl.
    <!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    It would net me just as much attention if I had made a big long post about how I lost the opportunity to gain 2 thosuand bucks. It's just semantics, not attentiong whoring, a word I misspelled for reasons you ought to be able to guess.
  • SmoodCrooznSmoodCroozn Join Date: 2003-11-04 Member: 22310Members
    I'm sure losing 100 more (to me) wouldn't hurt. <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/marine.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="::marine::" border="0" alt="marine.gif" />
  • TOmekkiTOmekki Join Date: 2003-11-25 Member: 23524Members
    op needs a job, preferrably a really ###### one. would help you get some perspective in life
  • Crono5Crono5 Join Date: 2003-07-22 Member: 18357Members
    Everyone's so nice here...
  • MoquiaoMoquiao Join Date: 2003-05-09 Member: 16168Members
    <!--quoteo(post=1636580:date=Jun 30 2007, 03:50 AM:name=Private_Coleman)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Private_Coleman @ Jun 30 2007, 03:50 AM) [snapback]1636580[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->
    You still made like $6k. Also you didn't "lose two thousand dollars" since you never had it to start with.
    <!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->


    I fully agree, seriously, im going back to uni this year, im 22, and im not elligible for jack.. so i have to use my own savings, and my own funds, with some parental support, after my dad has just retired! so seriously.

    get off your whining ass man, you came out 6k richer then you went in. thats a good day. starting with 2k and coming out with 0 would be a bad day.

    christ, what kind of a world do you live in? if THAT is the biggest problem in your life, can i come stay too?
  • TychoCelchuuuTychoCelchuuu Anememone Join Date: 2002-03-23 Member: 345Members
    <!--quoteo(post=1636757:date=Jun 30 2007, 10:08 PM:name=TOmekki)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(TOmekki @ Jun 30 2007, 10:08 PM) [snapback]1636757[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->
    op needs a job, preferrably a really ###### one. would help you get some perspective in life
    <!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    Jeez, it's not like I'm crying my eyes out or something. I think <i>you</i> need some perspective on life if watching 2k fly away just like that doesn't mean a thing to you. I dunno about the rest of you, but if I could make 2 thousand dollars by not doing <i>anything</i> I'd probably be pretty happy.
  • CrispyCrispy Jaded GD Join Date: 2004-08-22 Member: 30793Members, Constellation
    edited July 2007
    <b>I just lost £17,000</b>

    Yes, that's pounds sterling, not American play money. I actually lost it, as coming out of Uni I now owe approximately $34,116.49 in Student Loan debt.

    Like Shockeh says, Tycho, any UK student would find it hard to have sympathy for you here. I'll certainly give you my congratulations, though. <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wink-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=";)" border="0" alt="wink-fix.gif" />

    [Edit] Oh, I forgot to mention, I also live in the city with the 2nd highest cost of living in the world. [<a href="http://www.mercerhr.com/knowledgecenter/reportsummary.jhtml/dynamic/idContent/1095320;jsessionid=D0ZD0QD2HAPUWCTGOUGCIIQKMZ0QUJLW" target="_blank">Source</a>]
  • TOmekkiTOmekki Join Date: 2003-11-25 Member: 23524Members
    <!--quoteo(post=1636823:date=Jul 1 2007, 09:09 AM:name=TychoCelchuuu)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(TychoCelchuuu @ Jul 1 2007, 09:09 AM) [snapback]1636823[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->
    I think <i>you</i> need some perspective on life if watching 2k fly away just like that doesn't mean a thing to you.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    why should i care about you or your money
  • TychoCelchuuuTychoCelchuuu Anememone Join Date: 2002-03-23 Member: 345Members
    <!--quoteo(post=1636894:date=Jul 1 2007, 12:33 PM:name=TOmekki)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(TOmekki @ Jul 1 2007, 12:33 PM) [snapback]1636894[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->
    why should i care about you or your money
    <!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    For the same reason you should care enough about anything any of us write to read and post on these forums? I'm not asking you all to send me "get well soon" cards or anything. I'm sorry if you didn't find this amusing in any way but I didn't force you to read the thread and I certainly have no control over whether or not you feel compelled to reply. You can indicate your lack of interest in this subject by avoiding the topic completely. If we had to let everyone on earth know every time we weren't interested in their affairs, we'd do nothing else.
  • Private_ColemanPrivate_Coleman PhD in Video Games Join Date: 2002-11-07 Member: 7510Members
    <!--quoteo(post=1636899:date=Jul 1 2007, 02:59 PM:name=TychoCelchuuu)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(TychoCelchuuu @ Jul 1 2007, 02:59 PM) [snapback]1636899[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->
    For the same reason you should care enough about anything any of us write to read and post on these forums? I'm not asking you all to send me "get well soon" cards or anything. I'm sorry if you didn't find this amusing in any way but I didn't force you to read the thread and I certainly have no control over whether or not you feel compelled to reply. You can indicate your lack of interest in this subject by avoiding the topic completely. If we had to let everyone on earth know every time we weren't interested in their affairs, we'd do nothing else.
    <!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    I for one was very interested in reading about you losing money, but am now sorely disappointed. While you do not have absolute control over who feels they should read your thread or not, you could have at the very least give an accurate thread title.
  • ChronoChrono Local flyboy Join Date: 2003-08-05 Member: 18989Members
    im active duty military i just gained a infinite amount of money for all school while im in the military that means everything having to do with any education is payed for. and once im out ill have another 40k for school
  • frostymoosefrostymoose Join Date: 2003-09-12 Member: 20799Members
    <!--quoteo(post=1636942:date=Jul 1 2007, 07:45 PM:name=Chrono)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Chrono @ Jul 1 2007, 07:45 PM) [snapback]1636942[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->
    im active duty military i just gained a infinite amount of money for all school while im in the military that means everything having to do with any education is payed for. and once im out ill have another 40k for school
    <!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":D" border="0" alt="biggrin-fix.gif" />
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