Mercenary Me

Scholarship applications are terrible things. Especially when the essay question is, "Why do you want this scholarship?" Uh,...'cause I want the money? I mean, how original can one really get? Why do people want scholarships other than to get money? It doesn't benefit anyone but the recipient, as far as I can tell. But for me, things are doubly complicated. The real reasons I am applying would be kind of unsuitable for an essay. If I were to be completely honest about the whole thing, there is no way I would get the scholarship. The following is a sketch of what I would write if I were to be completely and utterly honest about my reasons.

"Why do I want this scholarship? There are two reasons which are the most prominent. The first is that Fr. Michael, the pastor of this parish wants me to. The second reason is not at all mercenary, believe it or not; it is simply that this scholarship will benefit my college of choice. I do not get any of the promised $1000. I am merely applying for the sake of Fr. Michael as a sign of my active participation in the life of the parish and for the benefit of TAC.

To Fr. Michael, my application for this scholarship is a vital thing. He believes that I should do it, no matter what. He is convinced that it is a necessary and right course of action for anyone who wishes to attend college. K of C is generous enough to provide this money - worthy candidates should apply for it.

But to TAC, the fact of a scholarship does not affect either the student or the parents. The total paid by both parties remains the same. Any money I receive from the scholarship fund will be paid to the school and will be taken off of the total financial aid I receive. I do not know if this is a common route or not, but since TAC tries very hard to provide enough aid so that all interested students may attend, I should do my part. The $1000 can be used towards someone else's aid or the building of the new campus church.

As you can see, then, this application is not merely mercenary. I do not benefit from this money. It will serve to further Father's confidence in me and increase the amount of available aid for other students at TAC."

But that, my readers, would be a very strange essay to enter. Totally and brutally honest, but undeniable strange. So, I shall write something else. What exactly, I don't know. But something.