Eric Sebastian thinks, as an "average" University student, his chance for scholarship money is almost nil.

Sebastian said he applied for a few scholarships but found many awards geared toward minorities and students with high grade point averages or unique characteristics.

"If you're just an average person, there's really nothing there for you," said Sebastian (junior-electrical engineering).

Scholarships are commonly based on students' ethnic backround, geographic location or grade point average. But donors can set requirements as specific as hair color, left-handedness or native county to determine who receives the award.

Donors usually want to aid students who have similar characteristics or backgrounds, said Bronwen Wagner, director for University Scholarships and Special Programs.

"It gets highly idiosyncratic when donors can articulate criteria," Wagner said, and she remembered when a donor specified grade point average down to the tenth, such as 3.12.

Because some scholarship requirements are too specific, many students are left out in the cold when they look for aid.

Caroline Mann (junior-elementary education) said more scholarships should be available to middle-class students, but minority students and students in unique situations should not be neglected in the process.

The Office of Student Aid encourages donors to specify broader scholarship criteria, Wagner said. Few scholarships at Penn State are overly specific, she added.

If no one is found who fits the criteria of a certain scholarship, the office contacts the donor to ask for leniency in requirements, but it is not always possible to change criteria, Wagner said.

The office tries to utilize all scholarship monies -- and almost no money is lost in ungranted scholarships, Wagner said.