The Scholarship Shortlist Memo
A private scholarship committee must rank five applicants for two slots using a rubric: academic score (40%), financial need (35%), and interview (25%). Scores are on a 100-point scale. The committee also has a hard rule that no award may go to an applicant with an incomplete document set, regardless of score. The raw scores are: Applicant P - academic 92, need 60, interview 70, documents complete. Applicant Q - academic 85, need 90, interview 65, documents complete. Applicant R - academic 95, need 55, interview 80, documents incomplete (missing barangay certification). Applicant S - academic 78, need 88, interview 90, documents complete. Applicant T - academic 88, need 70, interview 75, documents complete. One committee member argues R should still win because R has the highest academic score and 'the missing paper can be submitted later.'
1. Compute the weighted total for each applicant and produce a ranking that respects the document rule.
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Weights: academic 0.40, need 0.35, interview 0.25.
- P: 0.40(92) + 0.35(60) + 0.25(70) = 36.8 + 21.0 + 17.5 = 75.3
- Q: 0.40(85) + 0.35(90) + 0.25(65) = 34.0 + 31.5 + 16.25 = 81.75
- R: 0.40(95) + 0.35(55) + 0.25(80) = 38.0 + 19.25 + 20.0 = 77.25 - but disqualified (incomplete documents)
- S: 0.40(78) + 0.35(88) + 0.25(90) = 31.2 + 30.8 + 22.5 = 84.5
- T: 0.40(88) + 0.35(70) + 0.25(75) = 35.2 + 24.5 + 18.75 = 78.45
Ranking of eligible applicants: S (84.5) > Q (81.75) > T (78.45) > P (75.3). R is excluded. The two slots go to S and Q.
2. Respond to the committee member who wants to keep R on the strength of the academic score.
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Two points.
First, the rule is a hard eligibility gate, not a weighted factor. It says no award may go to an applicant with incomplete documents 'regardless of score.' Allowing R in would apply a different rule to R than to everyone else and would be indefensible if challenged.
Second, even setting the rule aside, R would rank third (77.25) behind S (84.5) and Q (81.75). R's high academic score is real, but the rubric weights need at 35% and R's need score of 55 is the lowest of the group, which pulls R down. The academic advantage does not overcome the gap.
The correct action is to tell R the missing barangay certification must be filed and that the next cycle is the earliest R can be considered - not to waive the rule mid-cycle.
3. Suppose the committee is allowed to change the weights before finalizing. Determine whether any reweighting that keeps academic at 40% and need at 35% could change the two winners.
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No. If academic (0.40) and need (0.35) are fixed, the only free weight is interview at 0.25, so the weights cannot vary. The totals are therefore fixed at S = 84.5, Q = 81.75, T = 78.45, P = 75.3.
Even if all three weights were free, changing them is a policy decision that must be made before scoring, not after seeing results - reweighting to favor a preferred candidate is exactly the manipulation the rubric exists to prevent. The two winners stand: S and Q.