What if the power to dole out scholarship money was given to students themselves? That's exactly what is happening now at the new scholarship election site: www.collegenet.com. As students discuss the topics they define-abortion, god vs. atheism, the war in Iraq-they earn votes from each other. At midnight on the last day of each month, the handful of candidates who have accumulated the most voting points win scholarship money. Another monthly election then starts anew.

Participating candidates can view a real-time list of the current point leaders throughout an election. Towards the end, things get really tense. "Last minute jumps were nerve-wracking...I was laughing and yet on the edge of my seat," said fourth place winner of $1,000, Hafifa Siddiq, a student at MiraCosta College. Ms. Siddiq added that "My goals and dreams may be near or far, but no matter...this scholarship brought me an extra step closer, and I am sincerely grateful to CollegeNET."

Unlike traditional scholarships where students are blind to the selection process, CollegeNET's new election system encourages students to actively learn from each other as they make their collective decisions. Ben Latoche, a student at Duquesne University and winner of $2,000, noted that his "experience was as enlightening as it was exciting. The spirited discussions brought a lot of different points of view to the table and the need for well-crafted responses to earn votes challenged my wordsmithing skills."

Second place winner of $3,000, Michael Garcia, a student at University of West Alabama, competed impressively particularly given that English is his second language: "CollegeNET was such an enjoyable experience. You guys changed my life."

First place winner of $4,000, Eileen Ebenger of Duquesne University was particularly insightful in her postings and gracious about her lunge-at-the-wire win: "I just wanted to take the time to thank everyone who helped me receive this scholarship. Funding my education has been nothing short of a struggle and I thank you all who contributed to the lessening of this burden. I would be just as ecstatic and grateful if I had come in fourth or had just been awarded $50."

"We expected students to get involved for the money. But I think the site's exploding popularity owes to the interesting information that pops up. For example, I didn't know that the controversy about reciting the Pledge in schools started when Eisenhower inserted the words 'under God.' It's particularly satisfying that this new way of awarding scholarships also turns out to be an exciting place to learn," stated Jim Wolfston, president of CollegeNET.

About CollegeNET, Inc.
CollegeNET, Inc. is focused on web-based, on-demand technologies that save institutions money and improve educational access and affordability for citizens. The company provides innovations in event and academic scheduling, decision support, admissions, web-based tuition processing, prospect management, alumni development, and course evaluation to colleges, universities, and nonprofits worldwide. More than 1,000 institutions use CollegeNET solutions. The company is headquartered in Portland, OR.

For more information, please contact Paul Casey, Director of Corporate Communications, CollegeNET. Phone: 503.973.5200. Fax: 503.973.5252.