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This morning I received an email from NYU asking me to submit an essay for the International Law and Justice Scholars scholarship. The deadline to submit the essay passed since it was due with the application, but they said that they will accept one from me. The problem is I don't remember applying for this scholarship (I'm sure I would have written an essay if I had) and don't really have much to write about for the scholarship. Should I force one out in the off chance that I somehow get it, or should I email them back and say that I would like to withdraw consideration for this scholarship? I'm terrified that if I go with the latter, they'll think something suspicious of my application in general and change my acceptance. Thanks!

moonman157 wrote:This morning I received an email from NYU asking me to submit an essay for the International Law and Justice Scholars scholarship. The deadline to submit the essay passed since it was due with the application, but they said that they will accept one from me. The problem is I don't remember applying for this scholarship (I'm sure I would have written an essay if I had) and don't really have much to write about for the scholarship. Should I force one out in the off chance that I somehow get it, or should I email them back and say that I would like to withdraw consideration for this scholarship? I'm terrified that if I go with the latter, they'll think something suspicious of my application in general and change my acceptance. Thanks!

Just write the essay. What is the worst that can happen?

I severely doubt they'd un-accept you if you asked to withdraw from consideration for the scholarship.

Perhaps you didn't even check the box in your application -- did you major in international relations, for example? Maybe just something from your file made them add your name to a prospective IILJ scholar database and they sent emails to all those who didn't apply for it but who seemed to be suitable candidates?

Just write the essay. And how do you think they would unaccept you for that?
"Hey welcome"
"I want to pay you more to go to school"
"We don't want your money, your UNACCEPTED!"

Thanks for the responses. I'll probably just write the essay, though I feel sort of guilty doing so because it will be so disingenuous but oh well. And ya, because I've heard back from pretty much every school I applied to, I'm in need for new ways to stress myself out

^here's what you do. write the essay, make it really really good. then, with the email submitting it, say "i'm not sure if i was supposed to receive this invite because I didn't apply for it. however, the program does interest me so i prepared it. if the email invite was in fact sent to me in error, i of course understand if my essay isn't considered. thank you." or something to that effect. that way, you don't look disingenuous and you're in the running, and they probably think you look like a really swell guy for how you handled it.

Free money for writing an essay; sounds like a no-brainer to me.