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Additional Evaluation Considerations
In scoring the selection criteria of applicants, Committee members may take into account the following:

Medical Challenges, Isolation Caused by Geography or Severe Social Disruption

These factors may be considered to the extent that they hamper an applicant’s ability to communicate their merit to the Committee or participate in certain activities that might normally be included in the applicant's record.

Although most recipients will likely fall between the ages of 14 and 28, there is no absolute minimum or maximum age requirement for either eligibility or required achievement. The Committee may, however, take age into account insofar as it is necessary to address–

Economic need qua economic need is not considered for Merit Awards.^[1] Economic need may, however, be weighed in awarding other scholarships and assistance specifically identified as Need Awards, in a manner dictated by whatever guidelines the Board shall see fit to impose in advance of the Award offering. Economic need may also be considered when evaluating the skill and polish demonstrated by an applicant in using the resources available to submit their application (e.g. a poor typewriter or an inability to purchase the most preferable materials for demonstrating a talent).

When economic need is an acceptable consideration, medical challenges may be considered as part of economic need. Although race, gender, ethnicity, religion, and world view may not be assigned inherent significance in selecting recipients, the effects of demonstrable and compelling incidents of persecution or discrimination personally suffered by an applicant as a result of their inherent characteristics may be factored into evaluations of economic need.^[2]

These characteristics are not considered to the advantage or disadvantage of applicants, except where relevant to demonstrating objective and meritorious achievement.^[3]

The Committee may, in its discretion, decide that two or more applicants are so close in their level of merit that any decision would be within the margin of error and a meaningful meritorious distinction cannot reliably be identified. In such an event, a random process should be used to select the applicant(s) for the limited available slot(s) of assistance. The Committee retains discretion in determining whether to notify applicants or the public about use of the random process.

^[1] For any award of any kind, however, including Merit, Need, or Talent Awards, the General Selection Committee or the Board may, by majority vote, reduce or eliminate the amount of monetary benefit bestowed upon an individual applicant who has been selected for the award, if in their judgment it appears the recognized individual is already well-positioned financially for pursuing additional education. Quaqua will try to avoid bestowing a monetary benefit which would merely constitute an obvious and unnecessary windfall (e.g. recognition without any payment except incidental costs would likely be appropriate for an outstanding applicant who had access to a family fortune or to enough scholarship funds to fully support their education). Funds distributed away from an unusually wealthy applicant would in the discretion of the Board be directed to an additional Merit, Need, or Talent Award, to be given that year or in a subsequent year, named “With Appreciation to” the successfully-recognized applicant possessed of unusual wealth. The Committee may in its discretion require applicants or selected recipients to disclose financial information needed to prevent unnecessary economic windfalls, in order to ensure that optimal use is made of Quaqua's financial resources.

^[3] It would, for example, be permissible to consider the fact that a Jewish applicant had overcome contemporary, identifiable, unmistakable, compelling incidents of governmental or community persecution personally directed against that applicant because of their Jewish identity, if the applicant’s response was particularly noteworthy. For example, the applicant might demonstrate unusual character or act to significantly advance enjoyment of a civil liberty listed in Quaqua's By-Laws.