By Hailey Heinz

This is the second in a five-part series examining students’ experiences with financial aid.

Sophia Barkan’s full scholarship would cover the cost of a West Village single, but she prefers her economy double at 337 Huntington Ave.

“I could probably live in the nice, new housing, but I like the character of our dorm better,” Barkan said.

Barkan, a sophomore graphic design major, earned her full scholarship for joining the Northeastern crew team. The scholarship includes tuition, housing, meal plan and book vouchers. She is one of many students on full athletic scholarships, and said the scholarship was the deciding factor that brought her to Northeastern.

Barkan has been rowing since her sophomore year of high school in Arlington. She said she was previously involved in soccer, hockey and lacrosse, but suffered several concussions and her doctor recommended she find a less dangerous sport. Then, Barkan discovered crew, which is now an all-consuming part of her life, she said.

Practices can start as early as 5:15 a.m., Barkan said, and although it can sometimes be hard to get enough sleep, she said she and her teammates manage to collectively maintain one of the highest average GPAs of any sports team on campus.

“You’re forced into doing well,” she said. “I think most of us are in the honors program as well. That level of commitment and positive attitude translates into academics.”

Academic excellence is another way Northeastern students can earn full scholarships. Olga Shapiro, a sophomore international business major, is receiving a Ralph J. Bunche scholarship, which pays for her tuition, housing and meal plan. Bunche Scholarships are awarded based on a combination of students’ academic excellence and their contributions to the diversity of the campus.

Shapiro’s family immigrated to the United States from Russia when she was three years old, and she said this gave her an element of diversity. She remembers when her family first arrived here, with just a suitcase of belongings and little money. Shapiro said her mother didn’t speak any English, and her father spoke very little. Although she said she was young enough that the adjustment was easy for her, she said she knows it was hard on her parents.

“My mom was around [college] age,” Shapiro said. “It would be like being married with two kids right now and moving to Japan, not knowing the language and trying to raise your kids.”

In addition to her immigrant background, Shapiro is also a high-achieving student who graduated in the top 10 percent of her class and took part in a wide array of activities, including tennis, a business and marketing club, playing piano from age 10 and holding several part-time jobs.

“I think they saw that I kept really busy,” Shapiro said.

Northeastern also offers Carl S. Ell scholarships, which are awarded solely on the basis of academic achievement. Kristina Cecil, a freshman business major, is on an Ell scholarship, which pays for her tuition, housing and meal plan.

Cecil said she wouldn’t have been able to attend Northeastern without the scholarship, and considers herself very lucky. The scholarship is awarded on the basis of academic achievement in high school, and Cecil said she thinks she got the scholarship for her grades and her leadership activities.

“I think it was mostly my grades,” Cecil said. “Throughout high school I took all honors classes and AP classes … I was pretty much a straight-A student except for a B plus here and there.”

Cecil said she was also active in a peer leadership group, and organized a conference called “Peace takes Practice,” bringing in speakers and training participants in leadership skills. She said she believes a combination of her grades, her leadership activities and that she held a job for two years during high school combined to earn her the scholarship.

Although Cecil, Shapiro and Barkan’s scholarships grant them an education that many students pay dearly for, both said they have never encountered envy or resentment on account of their scholarships.

“There’s not really resentment, more curiosity,” Cecil said.

Barkan explained that as long as she pulls her weight, no one seems to resent her for her scholarship, and for her, it’s all about the sport, not the money.

“I would row every day if I wasn’t on scholarship,” she said.