Cornell's program started when a group of potential donors expressed interest in creating a financial aid program to help Cornell recruit students.
"We saw that there was a lot of interest in research and we wanted to show [prospective students] undergraduates at Cornell are engaging in research," Saleh said.
Students for this program will be chosen by a special committee after they pass admissions, Saleh said.
The program has not been made a part of Cornell's application or its promotional literature, he said.
"We're not advertising it dramatically, but we may talk about it to some students at this point," Saleh said. Students will be informed of their eligibility for this program at the same time they are admitted to the school, he said. "It will make a difference for some, and for some it will not," Saleh said. Fitzsimmons said he is skeptical about the ability of such programs to draw students. "In terms of a merit award, it usually takes a large sum to turn a student's head," he said