SELECTION PROCESS

1. The selection process commences with who applies for the Munger Scholarship grants. Obviously those who do not apply are not going to receive awards. Those who file incomplete applications because they are unfamiliar with the trustees' requirements are also unlikely to receive awards. In order to bring the Munger Scholarships to the attention of the greatest number, we have constructed this web site.

2. Don't waste your time if you are not qualified. You MUST have resided during the four years preceding your graduation from high school in the Towns of Guilford, Madison, and/or Clinton, Connecticut. You MUST be entering your Freshman or Sophomore year as an undergraduate college student.

3. The Trustees will grant all or most of the awards to graduating high school seniors. Applications from students entering their Sophomore year in college will be accepted and considered.

4. The Trustees commence their review of the applications within a short time after the application deadline has closed. Each Trustee reviews all the applications on his own. Each undoubtedly has his own standards. After their individual review of the applications, the Trustees discuss the various applicants and arrive at a tentative decision as to whom awards should be made. These names may then be discussed with the guidance counselors and others at their schools. On occasion changes have been made in prospective recipients at this stage of the process. Other financial aid and scholarship awards may be taken into consideration.

5. All things being equal an equal number of awards are likely to be awarded for each of the three shoreline towns and the applicants from each town are considered separately. However, an unequal number of awards among towns has been made in the past and may be made in the future. Generally each recipient receives the same award, but the Trustees reserve the right to vary the amount of the awards if they should deem this appropriate.

6. Race, religion, sex, and national origin have not been factors in the selection process. Many factors are considered by the Trustees in making the awards and often different factors prove determinative in regard to different recipients. Some of the factors considered in making the awards are class standing, courses taken, work experience, SAT scores, family income, family circumstances, activities, the college selected, career goals, and other financial aid. In the final analysis each applicant is competing against the other applicants and what factor or factors result in one applicant being selected over others varies considerably from year to year.

7. The trust document establishing the scholarships provides for a preference to be given to students "who are proficient and have an aptitude in the fields of mathematics or nursing." Education and society have changed greatly since Marie and Henry Munger were young. Few students go directly into nursing programs from high school today. Marie Munger majored in mathematics and taught it for years, however, the Trustees consider students who do not plan to major in mathematics. The computerization of our society and the increase in the numbers of occupations which make use of mathematics has resulted in consideration being given to student applicants who desire to enter many fields. Proficiency in and aptitude for mathematics are qualities possessed by many students with many different study and career plans. While the Trustees do not ignore the trust language relating to mathematics and nursing, it is not often very helpful, let alone determinative, in deciding to whom among a group of graduating high school seniors awards should be made.