Academic Scholarships and Merit Scholarships
Academic scholarships, or as they are sometimes known, merit scholarships, are basically
just what you probably think they are. In order to get an academic scholarship to
pay for school,
you are going to need to get exceedingly good grades and, most likely, graduate
in the top five to ten percent of your class. Merit scholarships are often related
to academic performance, but can also be given to a candidate displaying artistic
or athletic excellence or sometimes a combination thereof. It's probably safe to
say that, while all academic scholarships are merit scholarships, not all merit
scholarships are academic scholarships. You have a chance at
winning scholarships of this nature if you’re a strong student, either generally
or in your
area of study, and an even better chance if you’re heavily involved in extracurricular
activities.
Finding Academic Scholarships
Many merit scholarships, are offered by the colleges and universities themselves,
and may require more than just academic excellence. For example, some may require
you have some other honorary title or have received some other scholarships or recognition
by an esteemed organization or society such as National Merit Scholarships or the
National Council of Teachers of English awards. Others simply require you to get
a certain score on the
ACT or
SAT and to graduate near the top of your class. While these are common
varieties of academic scholarships, very few students qualify for large awards through
their schools. Rather, most students have better luck
finding money for college through private providers of academic
scholarship awards.
Academic Scholarship Opportunities
As previously mentioned, academic scholarships all come with their own requirements
regarding academic performance and extracurricular involvement. Merit scholarships
can sometimes include a community service requirement, or demonstrated leadership
potential. This may be based on your involvement in school sports or politics, for
example. If you were the quarterback of the football team or captain of your basketball
or gymnastics team as well as student class president, you may be more attractive
to an organization that wants to bankroll the formal education of a future leader.
In order to find the academic scholarship opportunities
that are right for you, conduct a free college scholarship
search on Scholarships.com. By completing a free profile, you will have
access to scholarship information for
a variety of awards for which your education and experience qualify you. Below is
a list of just a few of the academic and other merit scholarships available in our
database.
American Rhodes Scholars
The Rhodes Scholarships were established in 1903 by Cecil Rhodes, who dreamed of improving the world through the diffusion of leaders motivated to serve their contemporaries, trained in the contemplative life of the mind, and broadened by their acquaintance with one another and by their exposure to cultures different from their own. Mr. Rhodes hoped that his plan of bringing able students from throughout the English-speaking world and beyond to study at Oxford University would aid in the promotion of international understanding and peace.
More
Gates Millennium Scholars Program
The Gates Millennium Scholars (GMS), funded by a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, was established in 1999 to provide outstanding African American, American Indian/Alaska Natives, Asian Pacific Islander Americans, and Hispanic American students with an opportunity to complete an undergraduate college education, in all discipline areas and a graduate education for those students pursuing studies in mathematics, science, engineering, education, or library science.
More
Harry S Truman Scholarship Program
The Truman Scholarship provides up to $30,000 to support students who wish to attend graduate school in preparation for careers in government or elsewhere in public service.
Candidates must:
- Attend an accredited U.S. college or university and be nominated by the institution's Truman Faculty Representative [candidates MAY NOT apply directly]
- Be U.S. citizens or U.S. nationals
- Complete an application and write a policy recommendation
- Be in the upper quarter of their junior class, except for residents of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa or the Northern Marianas who must be in their senior class
The Foundation seeks candidates who:
- Have extensive records of public and community service
- Are committed to careers in government or elsewhere in public service
- Have outstanding leadership potential and communication skills
For more information, visit http://www.
More