Review Group Resource Guide

• All scholarship reviewers will receive email invitation prior to Feb. 2 to set-up login on Virginia Tech Scholarship Central.
• Upon receiving email, click on the confirmation link.
  • New users will create their account.
  • If you have served as a reviewer in the past, you can follow the “forgot password” prompt as needed.
• If you believe you did not receive an invitation: 
  • First, check your spam or junk emails.  
  • If you still do not find an email, please use the email address submitted for the review group and follow the "forgot password" prompt. This may allow you to reset.
  • If you are still unable to login, please contact your scholarship chair.

• First, ensure you are looking at the Reviewer Tab. This applies to individuals that may be reviewing scholarship applications for other departments, past Virginia Tech students, or those using Virginia Tech email addresses. All others may go to the next bullet:
  • In the top right-hand corner of your screen, you should see a colored circle with your initials. Click on the circle.
  • A drop down will appear. Click on reviewer.
• From the Reviewer Dashboard, you will see Review Opportunities, to include the number of applications that are assigned to you personally.
  • If you have served as a reviewer in the past, you may see multiple review opportunities listed.
  • Please click the appropriate review group for the upcoming year (ex. 2026-2027 XYZ Alumni Chapter Scholarship w/ a deadline of 2026).
  • The number count of scholarships “reviewed” may indicate past scholarship reviews and new review opportunities (i.e., first login for this year showing 15/30 scholarships although you haven’t reviewed any scholarships for the current year).
• Click on the opportunity or number of applications assigned to you.
  • You will see a list of applications.
  • The application ID will be listed but other identifying information will not show in the online application.
  • You will be only be able to see identifying information (name, phone number, etc.) if the student included it in their application or essay responses.

• Click “Begin” to the right of any unevaluated application.
  • There may be optional or required reviewer questions at the top of the screen (above the applicant ID number).
• On the “Review” tab:
  • Evaluators will choose a drop-down box to rank each portion of the application listed on a designated scale.
  • There is also an additional comments tab that is optional at the bottom of the screen.
• On the “Application” tab:
  • Evaluators can review responses that are available for the application.
• Side by Side Recommendation:
  • You may use the “side by side” tab next to the review and application tabs. It will be easier to read responses and rank appropriately by viewing both tabs at the same time (no toggling required).
• Reviewers can:
  • Temporarily “save” their progress on an application.
  • “Submit” by clicking on the corresponding buttons on the bottom right-hand side of the page.
  • Return to the opportunity dashboard to click on the next application to review, click on a saved application to review, or review a completed application.
• Applications can be reviewed, and rankings can be changed, up until the review expires.
  • Once the review date has passed, evaluators will only be able to choose “view” on the right-hand side of each application screen.

Why does this happen?

• Applicants are pulled to each chapter scholarship review group for which they qualify – this, as part of, the universal alumni chapter scholarship application.
• Ideally, this is based on their location.  However: 
  • In-state (Virginia) applicants might be misclassified due to high school name similarities (e.g., multiple “Patrick Henry” high schools). 
  • Out-of-state applicants are assigned based on state-level data, which can cause sorting within the regions.   
    

What does this mean? 

• An applicant may appear in your chapter’s review group queue incorrectly, but they’re also in the “correct” queue of their home-chapter.     

What should a reviewer do if this happens?

• Once a reviewer opens an application, the application cannot be removed from the review group queue. 
• The reviewer should make a note “comments section” for that application, with the reason the review was not made (e.g., student resides in another chapter region, duplicate high school, etc.). 
• Reviewers should report issues to their scholarship chair, who will communicate with their Virginia Tech liaison. 
• Reviewers can move onto reviewing aligned applicants as usual, skipping any other applications that are not within the alumni chapter area. 

How does this affect an applicant’s chance to be awarded? 

• Applicants that are incorrectly sorted to a review group will not be negatively impacted.  Applicants will still be reviewed and awarded within the correct chapter review group they are qualified.   

Best practices for reviewers

• Check an applicant’s permanent city, county, and state before reviewing.  
• Report any issues to your scholarship chair and Virginia Tech liaison to help improve the process.  

• From Virginia Tech Scholarship Central:
  • Click on the “References and Reviewers” tab.
  • Ensure you are looking at the “Reviewer” tab. This applies to individuals that may be reviewing scholarship applications for other departments or units, past Virginia Tech students, or those using Virginia Tech email addresses:
    • In the top right-hand corner of your screen, you should see a colored circle with your initials.
    • Click on the circle.
    • A drop down will appear. Click on “Reviewer”
    • Ensure you are utilizing the correct review group for the correct academic year before proceeding.
    • Start reviewing the appropriate review group listing.

• Student information should never be copied down, shared, or used in any way shape or form without prior consent from the student due to FERPA regulations.
• DO NOT attempt to contact a student at any time.
• If you need to contact the students for any reason, contact your liaison for next steps.