BlackRock Founders' Scholarship- Rejected because I'm abroad?

Hi guys,

I'm a junior from a non target school who's managed to land a first round interview for the scholarship. It's basically a grant of 10k + an internship. I got invited for a first round interview to be considered for the Fixed Income and Beta Strategies teams. I'm extremely interested in both (fixed income first choice).

I'm currently abroad in London and when I emailed HR about working around this, they told me that interviews are only done in person and they can't cover international travel. They literally told me they can't consider me for this program, but my application is still in the pool for standard recruiting.

My GPA isn't great, but I have leveraged work experience and alumni connections to try and help me. This is probably my best shot at a great experience, and I really don't want to let some logistical BS ruin this opportunity.

My questions are:

  1. Can they really do this?
  2. What should I do?

Thanks guys

 
Best Response
1. Can they really do this?
They can do whatever they want. You are applying for their scholarship, don't forget you're asking them for something, not the other way around.
2. What should I do?

Assuming you can afford it, you might email HR and ask if they might consider you if you agree to foot the travel bill for any interviews. They might still say no since this creates logistical challenges, but it's certainly worth a shot.

By the way, this post is a great example to other readers of why you should NEVER study abroad in your junior year. It greatly interferes with internship recruiting and a lot of companies won't accommodate applicants. Best of luck to the OP though, perhaps you can work something out with HR.

 

Thanks for your insight... I rely heavily on financial aid so I'm not sure if I can shell out 1k for an interview. I'm going to speak with alumni who work in recruiting and emailed the direct HR department to see if we can work something out. I think I might be able to make something work, I'll update this thread with my progress I guess.

Also, never is a strong word. Although I have to balance academics and recruiting with enjoying my abroad experience, I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world. I'm obviously interested in AM and working at a BB firm, but there are some things in life you should have prioritized over work

 

Hey, I'm on the same boat. Just got back from a short weekend trip, checked my email and there was the good news. I'm currently studying in Bordeaux, France, and also can't personally shoulder the round-trip travel expense. Just sent them an email, although I'm interviewing for two other groups (not the two you're interviewing for). Hopefully they get back with some alternatives/options for me. Looking forward to reading your updates.

 

My broader point was that study abroad should always be done in the sophomore year, or even freshmen year if possible.

Although I have to balance academics and recruiting with enjoying my abroad experience, I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world.

It sounds like you've traded it for a great scholarship opportunity and potentially the internship you wanted. Maybe some alumni can pull some strings for you, good luck.

 

Thanks. I found flights for like $800 so if HR could maybe partially reimburse me, I'd be willing to scrape up like 500 bucks for the opportunity. I'm pretty surprised that they wouldn't let me do it over the phone as every other program I've had was pretty accommodating. It's also kind of ironic because the HR team emailed me about the opportunity and told me I was eligible, and now I'm being told I'm not eligible lol

Haven't had any responses because it's the weekend I guess, but hopefully I can make something happen. Also weird because I got emailed Friday evening and the email said the deadline to book accommodation is Monday afternoon

 

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