Word: meritable
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Dates: during 1990-1999
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...other hand, however, maybe most people have the ability to "earn" what we call a position of "merit," but simply lack the tools to do so. Perhaps they are not so fortunate as the average Harvard student--or the average American college student. Perhaps they did not have a mom or dad who would cheer them on at basketball games. Perhaps they did not have the money to pay for an SAT preparation course. Perhaps they did not think it was even necessary to prepare...
Okay. Maybe this seems melodramatic and bordering upon ridiculous. But it's true. And this bitter truth is no more ridiculous than the nebulous and elusive word "merit" itself. Let's take a simple example. If two seeds are planted and one is watered, given fertile soil, exposed to sunlight and otherwise nurtured while the other seed is neglected and left in dry, rocky soil in a dark closet, would scientists be correct in stating that the first seed (which sprouted, of course) had "merit" while the second (dead on arrival...
...equal place. And woe to me if I ever thought that financial aid would be the great equalizer. But financial aid must be reserved for those students who simply do not have the means to pay for their educations. Because chances are, those who would qualify for merit-based scholarships have from a young age had the advantages of money, time and encouragement invested into their human capital. And because funding is limited, we should reserve it for those who need it most--those who perhaps never before had the opportunity to attain this so-called status of "merit...
...would be the ogre to deny some young, yearning student in the inner city the opportunity to go to the college of his choice because he never was given the gift of "merit"? Who would continue to pigeonhole this person in a closet, without mental nourishment and encouragement, denying him the opportunity of growth and development...
Certainly, merit-based scholarships would be wonderful if financial aid funds weren't limited. But, sadly, they...