--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Some scholarships are applied for by only…" description: "\"“Some scholarships are applied for by only 30% of those who qualify,” says Shafir, “despite the fact that study after study has shown that such a schol..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/38a/rutger-bregman-2463_education_some-scholarships-are-applied-for-by-onl_1668600.jpg" --- # Some scholarships are applied for by only 30% of those who… ![“Some scholarships are applied for by only 30% of those who qualify,” says Shafir, “despite the fact that study after study has shown that such a scholarship, of thousands of dollars, can make all the difference.” An economist looks at these scholarships and thinks: Since applying is the rational…” quote by Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/38a/rutger-bregman-2463_education_some-scholarships-are-applied-for-by-onl_1668600.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/38a/rutger-bregman-2463_education_some-scholarships-are-applied-for-by-onl_1668600.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/38a/rutger-bregman-2463_education_some-scholarships-are-applied-for-by-onl_1668600.jpg) > ““Some scholarships are applied for by only 30% of those who qualify,” says Shafir, “despite the fact that study after study has shown that such a scholarship, of thousands of dollars, can make all the difference.” An economist looks at these scholarships and thinks: Since applying is the rational thing to do, poor students will apply. But that’s not how it works. The fruits of the scholarship fall well outside the tunnel vision of the scarcity mindset.”” [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Many eligible low‑income students don’t apply for large scholarships because a scarcity mindset limits their vision of benefits. **In simple terms:** Poor students often miss big aid due to limited thinking. Key Takeaway Address scarcity mindset to improve application rates. Themes education inequality psychology policy Mood concerned hopeful Type analytical inspirational When to use this quote - college admissions - financial aid workshops - mentorship programs - policy reforms Key Concepts scarcity mindset behavioral economics access to education Questions to Reflect On - How can institutions reshape perceptions of aid? - What interventions reduce scarcity thinking? A Different Perspective Even with rational incentives, psychological barriers can prevent optimal actions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Scholarship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scholarship/) [Scholarships](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scholarships/) [Tunnel vision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tunnel-vision/) ## Related quotes > [The one thing I was good at was winning scholarships and prizes, and that era was coming to an end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/the-one-thing-i-was-good-at-was-winning-scholarships-and-prizes-and/) [Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/) > [Private scholarships for students at hopeless schools.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/newt-gingrich/private-scholarships-for-students-at-hopeless-schools/) [Newt Gingrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/newt-gingrich/) > [America does not need gorgeous halls and concert rooms for its musical development, but music schools with competent teachers, and many, very many, free…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-seidl/america-does-not-need-gorgeous-halls-and-concert-rooms-for-its/) [Anton Seidl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-seidl/) > [For the college years we will provide scholarships to high school students of the greatest promise and greatest need and guarantee low-interest loans to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyndon-b-johnson/for-the-college-years-we-will-provide-scholarships-to-high-school/) [Lyndon B. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyndon-b-johnson/) > [My mom was on welfare and the occasional food stamp, but I have never participated in any of those governmental programs, even the ones…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-carolla/my-mom-was-on-welfare-and-the-occasional-food-stamp-but-i-have-never/) [Adam Carolla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-carolla/) > [I had been educated with free scholarships. I went to nine different universities, always at public expense, and when you have that experience, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-michener/i-had-been-educated-with-free-scholarships-i-went-to-nine-different/) [James A. Michener](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-michener/) > [... our scholarships should be bestowed on those whose ability and earnestness in the primary department have been proved, and whose capacity for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-cady-stanton/our-scholarships-should-be-bestowed-on-those-whose-ability-and/) [Elizabeth Cady Stanton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-cady-stanton/) > [“I am a great scholar, my mind is full of wonders.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/i-am-a-great-scholar-my-mind-is-full-of-wonders/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [I get letters from are appreciative of even smaller scholarships that I've given in the past. The ones I give bigger scholarships too, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-evans/i-get-letters-from-are-appreciative-of-even-smaller-scholarships-that/) [Mike Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-evans/) > [I would say that something important for me and for my generation in Northern Ireland was the 1947 Education Act, which allowed students who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seamus-heaney/i-would-say-that-something-important-for-me-and-for-my-generation-in/) [Seamus Heaney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seamus-heaney/) > [When I graduated from high school, I had artistic and academic scholarships, and I was trying to figure out what to do. I decided…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-kara-unger/when-i-graduated-from-high-school-i-had-artistic-and-academic/) [Deborah Kara Unger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-kara-unger/) > [Is there any more important problem than our lack of need-based scholarships? I think not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-e-rogers/is-there-any-more-important-problem-than-our-lack-of-need-based/) [James E. Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-e-rogers/) > [I was on a couple of scholarships. I had a job in the school administrative office. I had a job as a hat-check boy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-spacey/i-was-on-a-couple-of-scholarships-i-had-a-job-in-the-school/) [Kevin Spacey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-spacey/) > [I've gotten scholarships from the Asian-American Directors Guild of America society and things like that, and those things helped me, even if I didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-m-chu/i-ve-gotten-scholarships-from-the-asian-american-directors-guild-of/) [Jon M. Chu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-m-chu/) > [We raised almost 2 million dollars at the last golf tournament that can be used for minority scholarships and Junior Golf programs. The payoff…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darius-rucker/we-raised-almost-2-million-dollars-at-the-last-golf-tournament-that/) [Darius Rucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darius-rucker/) ## More by Rutger Bregman > [“If all the developed countries would let in just 3% more immigrants, the world’s poor would have $305 billion more to spend, say scientists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/if-all-the-developed-countries-would-let-in-just-3-more-immigrants/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) > [“When Lehman Brothers collapsed on September 15, 2008, and inaugurated the biggest crisis since the 1930s, there were no real alternatives to hand. No…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/when-lehman-brothers-collapsed-on-september-15-2008-and-inaugurated/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) > [I think one of the most important facts of basic income would be that it's not only a redistribution of income, but also of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/i-think-one-of-the-most-important-facts-of-basic-income-would-be-that/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) > [The great thing about money is that people can use it to buy things they need instead of things self-appointed experts think they need.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/the-great-thing-about-money-is-that-people-can-use-it-to-buy-things/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) > [“The idea that the GDP still serves as an accurate gauge of social welfare is one of the most widespread myths of our times.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/the-idea-that-the-gdp-still-serves-as-an-accurate-gauge-of-social/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) > [Most of Mark Zuckerberg's income is just rent collected off the millions of picture and video posts that we give away daily for free.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/most-of-mark-zuckerberg-s-income-is-just-rent-collected-off-the/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) > [“To calculate the GDP, numerous data points have to be linked together and hundreds of wholly subjective choices made regarding what to count and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/to-calculate-the-gdp-numerous-data-points-have-to-be-linked-together/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) > [“Countless studies have shown that people who work less are more satisfied with their lives.37 In a recent poll conducted among working women, German…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/countless-studies-have-shown-that-people-who-work-less-are-more/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) > [“Precisely when we should be shouldering the historic task of investing this rich, safe, and healthy existence with meaning, we’ve buried utopia instead. 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