Understanding Pell Grants

The is the most basic form of federal student aid, a sum of money the government grants eligible students to pay for college tuition. These grants are specifically meant to help students with the most severe financial need afford a college education; indeed, some schools use “Pell Grant recipients” as a shorthand for how many economically disadvantaged students they admit. 

This program began in the 1980s, with a goal of making college more affordable for the poorest students. While award amounts have increased over time, they have not kept pace with the cost of tuition; 2025-26 Pell Grants are for $7,395, which is a good bit less than $100,000. Still, for students attending community college or in-state public colleges, a Pell Grant can make a meaningful impact. 

Note that $7,395 is the maximum possible award amount; many Pell Grants will be for amounts less than this. The amount they give you depends on your need, the cost of the school you are attending, whether you’re a full-time or part-time student, and whether you’re attending for the full academic year.

The funds for a Pell Grant are disbursed directly to the school to cover tuition costs and fees; any leftover funds are generally disbursed directly to the student. These may be used to cover other related educational costs. For most colleges, there will not be enough Pell Grant to cover the full cost of tuition, and so all of the funds will be applied to that. 

Who is Eligible for Pell Grants?

Pell Grants have somewhat odd eligibility requirements, as there are the standard requirements, and then a limited number of exceptions to those. First, these are the standard eligibility requirements for the grant: 

• Display exceptional financial need
• Not have previously earned a bachelor’s, graduate, or professional degree

You may be enrolled either full or part time. The school you are enrolled in must be a fully accredited institution. Note that students enrolled in post-baccalaureate teacher certifications may be eligible for a Pell Grant as well, even if they already have a bachelor’s. 

Note that if you had a parent or guardian die in the US armed forces, you may have additional . This mostly relaxes the income and financial need requirements, though you must still meet other eligibility requirements. If you yourself served in the military, then you have additional funding options outside of the Pell Grant.

Applying for the Pell Grant

You apply for Pell Grants, as with all governmental aid, using the . This automatically determines your eligibility based on your financial situation, and offers grants based on that. This is not intended to be a difficult process, but does usually take some time. We recommend putting aside an afternoon to complete it. 

Pell Grants may be renewed annually for a maximum of six years, or until you earn a baccalaureate or professional degree, whichever comes first. You must fill out the FAFSA each year to maintain eligibility, as your financial situation may change, and with it the amount of aid you are entitled to. 

Should You Apply for a Pell Grant?

There is no separate application for these, as we just covered, so in most cases the answer to this question is yes. Even if you don’t intend (or expect) to receive any aid from the federal government, many colleges require students complete the FAFSA to be eligible for any kind of aid, even merit-based awards. This does, of course, vary by institution, but most students benefit from completing it. 

The exact requirements to receive funding under a Pell Grant change year to year, but it generally only goes to students with the most financial need, those well below the poverty line. There are limited funds available to disburse, and the program wants to be sure they go to students who need them most. 

Getting a Pell Grant, or applying for one, will not substantially impact your college applications. There are some schools who are need-aware, but they’re going to be need-aware regardless of whether you apply for one. If you do not need financial aid, you can improve your odds of acceptance to need aware schools by indicating you are not seeking it, but this is done on a per-school basis, and you can still complete the FAFSA and apply for aid at other institutions. 

Is the Pell Grant Ending?

Recent have pointed out the Pell Grant is facing a budget shortfall, and a sizable one: $11,500,000,000, which is slightly more than pocket change (though is still quite small in terms of the overall federal budget). The reasons for this are long term and systemic; Congress has been patching up Pell Grants with short-term funding solutions, but these have not kept pace with inflation or the program’s needs. 

Due to rising costs, more students than ever before are eligible for the Pell Grant, and more of them are also eligible for full funding under it. Currently, 7.6 million students are receiving funding from the Pell Grant, an appreciable number, and an increase of more than a million since 2020. 

On the one hand, expanded access to the Pell Grant is a good thing; helping more students afford the cost of a college education has been shown to be a very valuable and efficient investment, generating far more economic activity than it costs. This does, however, require the funding to actually support all of these students, which has not been given out. 

The Pell Grant has a fairly wide base of support amongst the public; US citizens of all stripes have benefitted from it. It remains up to Congress, however, to come up with a funding solution that will work in the long term; they have until September to wrangle over the budget, but if they can’t find a solution by then, then a number of students currently supported by Pell Grants risk losing their funding. 

We will return to this again if there are any major changes in funding for Pell Grants, since they are such an important source of educational funding for many students. Hopefully, a solution is found which allows all of them to continue their academic journeys with the support they need.

Final Thoughts

Pell Grants, and the rest of government funding for college education, offers far less than the total cost of tuition for many schools. That said, a few thousand dollars in aid is nothing to sneeze at, and these programs do provide a valuable lifeline for many low-income students. We hope that this article has clarified any questions you may have about the Pell Grant, and how it may be relevant to you. 

The college application process is stressful; after buying a house, a college education is generally the largest investment you will make in your future. If you are looking for help evaluating potential investments, or in expert advice to help you manage an oft overwhelming process, then �ԹϹ��� can help. Schedule a free consultation today to learn more, or check out our pro bono Laurel Scholars program. Either way, we’re always happy to hear from you.

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Washington’s premier financial aid program is also one of the most generous in the country, a need based grant designed to increase access to college for low and middle income students. This is a very flexible program as well, with funding options for a range of incomes and programs, from traditional college to vocational training.

In order to be eligible for this program, students must meet the following requirements: 

• Be a resident of Washington (information on qualifying )
• Have a high school diploma, GED, or equivalent
• Not already possess a bachelor’s degree or higher
• Meet the income requirements (see , based on family size)
• You are enrolled in a

Award amounts from this vary based on both the kind of school you are attending, and your family size and income. The goal is to give funding commensurate with need; for students attending public schools, the program often gives enough funding to cover the entire cost of tuition.

In order to apply for this grant, you must complete either the FAFSA, or the (Washington Application for State Financial Aid), which is intended for Washington residents who cannot complete the FAFSA. You may fill out both of these. There is no further application required besides this; awards will be determined and granted based on financial eligibility and the college you are attending. 

We advise all students who are residents of Washington state to complete the FAFSA or WASFA, as this is a generous aid program. Students from families earning up to $78,000 can get the full cost of tuition at a public college funded, and students from families earning up to $130,000 can still receive some funding, making this an excellent opportunity for middle class students.

This program is akin to federal work-study programs, where students gain an approved job on or off campus which is subsidized by financial aid dollars. The income from this then helps students defray the cost of attending college. These are smaller awards; amounts vary, but they are generally between $2,000 and $5,000 annually. This funding is meant to help with costs associated with college, such as living expenses, as much as it to help with tuition.

You must be a resident of Washington and enrolled at least half time in a participating college to receive this funding. You must also be legally eligible to work in the US (though you do not need to be a citizen). You must maintain satisfactory academic progress, and may not be pursuing a degree in theology. 

Applications are simple; students are automatically considered for state work study after they complete the WASFA or FAFSA. Those who are found to be eligible are offered the award and funding. You must complete the financial aid application each year to continue receiving this funding. 

This program is for Washington students who were in foster care in the state or who were homeless without a parent or guardian. The program has two paths, one which helps with funding for a college degree, and one which provides funding while students pursue a vocational apprenticeship. 

This program provides a significant amount of funding, which can go both towards tuition costs, and towards living expenses while in school. You must maintain both Washington residency and good standing in your chosen program to maintain your eligibility for this program and funding. 

There is a you must complete to apply for this aid program. Once this is done, you must also complete the FAFSA or WASFA, and make sure you complete any questions about foster care or homelessness accurately. You must complete the FAFSA or WASFA each year to maintain eligibility.

This is a scholarship for students who are entering high demand fields in Washington, specifically those related to STEM fields or healthcare. There are several different scholarships, supporting students in both undergraduate education and vocational programs. 

The bachelors program provides up to $22,500 worth of total funding; this can be applied to both tuition costs, and other costs associated with an education, such as fees, housing, or transportation. This funding can be used towards STEM or healthcare majors at any eligible public or private college in Washington. In order to be eligible for this program, you must meet the following requirements: 

• Be a resident of Washington
• Demonstrate financial need; this means your family’s income must be 125% or lower than the median state income
• Must have earned a high school credential from a school in Washington
• Must not have a prior bachelor’s degree or equivalent, and must be enrolled and in good standing at a college in Washington
• Must have a minimum GPA of 2.75 out of 4.0

There is a for this scholarship program, this must be completed online. In addition to this, you must complete the FAFSA or WASFA; you only need to apply for the scholarship once, but must complete the FAFSA or WASFA each year. 

This grant is offered by the Washington State Board of Community and Technical Colleges, and provides funding for up to one year of schooling for students who are aiming at a high-demand, high-paying field. This funding is only for students attending a community or technical college in Washington.

You must be a Washington resident and within 200% of the federal poverty line to qualify for this grant. This grant covers tuition funding, along with up to $1,000 for required books and supplies for your education. The scholarship also seeks to provide tutoring and career advising courses, with a goal of ensuring recipients are directly able to enter a high demand career after finishing their program of studies. 

You must complete the FAFSA or WASFA in order to apply, and have unmet financial need; that is, need not covered by other grant programs. Applications are done through your college; speak with the financial aid office on campus to apply.

This scholarship funding is specifically for students in Washington who have ties to a recognized American Indian community in the state. The program prioritizes upper division and graduate students, but all students who are eligible are considered. Awards are for $500 to $2,000 dollars, and may be renewed for up to five years, though you need to apply each year to continue receiving funding. 

You must demonstrate financial need, and intend to benefit the American Indian community with your degree. You may not be majoring in theology. Approximately 10-15 recipients are chosen annually. The must be filled out and mailed in. You must also complete the FAFSA each year.

These are a number of programs designed to enable students to pursue degrees in teaching, offering financial support with the understanding that students will work in Washington state in an area of high need once they graduate. In general, these programs take the form of loans, which are then forgiven once an agreed upon period of work for a qualified employer.

These programs cover several different areas of education, from general K-12 teachers, to more specialized roles like paraprofessionals. There are additional grants available for student teachers at underserved programs. 

Each of these aid awards has its own application, which must be completed online. These are only open to residents of Washington who are willing to commit to teaching in Washington. In general, you must also complete the FAFSA or WASFA in order to apply for these funding programs. 

These are loan repayment programs for healthcare professionals, primarily nurses, who are working in areas of high need in Washington. These are not direct funding for educational expenses, but can provide funding to help pay off student loans. This funding is contingent on a period of work at an area of high need within Washington. 

These applications are tied to the sites where you are working; certain healthcare sites are eligible for their workers to benefit from these programs. If your site is eligible, then you may apply to the program.

Independent Financial Aid

Alongside state-backed aid programs, there exist many third party scholarships, which serve to help students attend colleges. These can be for varying amounts of money, and often have other requirements attached to them, but can help students afford the ever increasing cost of an education.

Here is a selection of these scholarships which are meant specifically for students in Washington.

This program (also called the MEM scholarship) is open to students from either Washington or Colorado; students must have lived in one of those states for the junior and senior years of high school. This scholarship is based on both need and merit, and provides $25,000 a year for qualified educational expenses, including tuition, room and board, and fees.

This scholarship money may be used towards any accredited college or university in the US or abroad. You must meet the following eligibility criteria to apply: 

• Have lived in Washington or Colorado for your entire junior and senior year of high school
• Be a US citizen, or in the process of becoming a citizen
• Have a GPA of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale, and have at least a 28 on the ACT or a 1200 on the SAT
• Demonstrate financial need by having a family income of less than $150,000

Applications must be submitted by October 15; they have their own application portal. The scholarship is looking for academically talented students who meet their values, namely dedication to their communities, appreciation for the arts, and devotion to environmental causes. This is a very competitive scholarship.

Run by the Greater Seattle Business Association (as you might expect), this is a scholarship specifically for Washington residents (not just those from Seattle itself). The program primarily awards funding for students pursuing undergraduate and associates degrees, but there are some awards for graduate students. 

Every year, the scholarship opens on October 11, and is due by January 10. While all Washington residents are eligible to apply, they especially encourage LGBT+ community members and allies to apply, as the scholarship has the specific purpose of bolstering that community and their allies. 

They specifically look for your academic interests and goals, that you are actively involved in your community (and bettering it), and what challenges you have faced. Note that this is not a need-based scholarship, but need may be considered. Their goal is to fund a new generation of leaders in a variety of fields. 

This scholarship is specifically for female students in Pierce County, Washington. The scholarship offers two $2,500 awards annually to students pursuing a two-year or four-year degree; these awards are non-renewable. Applications may be submitted by mail or electronically, and are due by February 1.

In order to be eligible for this scholarship, you must identify as a woman, be attending school in Pierce county currently, be enrolled in good standing, and demonstrate financial need. Preference is given to students with one year or less before they finish their academic programs.

Final Thoughts

College is an expensive thing, and even students who are attending public colleges often end up paying tens of thousands of dollars per year, which is a heavy burden to deal with. There are, however, ways to alleviate this stress, and Washington state has done a significant amount to relieve this burden on students. We hope that this article has shown you the possibilities there, and how these can help you afford your own college career.

If you are looking for advice on your applications, or on finding the right financial aid strategy for you, then �ԹϹ��� can help. Our mentors are experts at helping students navigate every step of the application process, and we love hearing from students like you. Schedule a free consultation today to learn how we can make your educational journey smoother.

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The Coca Cola Scholars Program Scholarship

This scholarship is awarded by the , which is a nonprofit founded by and primarily funded by Coca Cola, though technically a separate entity. Every year, they select 150 students to receive a $20,000 college scholarship, along with a few smaller scholarships they also manage and award (more on those later). 

This funding may be applied to the tuition expenses of an accredited university, or other associated educational expenses, such as university housing or needed supplies like textbooks. Recipients have up to ten years to use the funding, and may disburse it as they see fit. In addition to the award itself, the foundation also tries to keep in touch with scholars, and hosts receptions and alumni events for them. 

The scholarship is fully achievement based; need is not considered at all when applying for this scholarship. This is rare, and makes this a very popular scholarship amongst middle class students; those who often earn too much for many need-based scholarships, but not enough to afford the spiralling cost of college tuition. 

Applying for the Coca-Cola Scholarship

Now that we’ve covered what this scholarship is, let’s turn to the next key questions: who is eligible to apply for it, and how exactly you can do so. Eligibility is the first component, students must meet the following criteria to be eligible for this scholarship: 

• You must be a currently enrolled high school student (or homeschooled student) in a US state, DC, Puerto Rico, or select DoD schools abroad, who is graduating in the school year in which you apply
• You must be a US citizen, national, permanent resident, refugee, asylee, or humanitarian parolee; this is based on Department of Education guidelines for federal financial aid
• Be on course to graduate and receive a diploma in the current academic year
• Be planning to enter an accredited college or university
• Have a minimum GPA of 3.0/4.0 in your high school coursework

On top of this, certain groups are specifically ineligible for this scholarship:

• Students attending international schools, or American schools abroad (With the exception of some DoD schools)
• Relatives of current Coca Cola employees or owners, or owners of affiliated corporations, such as bottling companies
• International students
• Students who have already graduated from high school
• Temporary residents
  

How to Apply

Once you have determined your eligibility, it is time to actually apply for this award. All applications must be submitted , through the foundation’s website. They do not accept applications which have been printed out and mailed in. They do make this easy to access, but you need to do the whole thing online. You can begin work on the application, save it, and return later to finish the application.

The application opens each year on August 1, for students who will be graduating the following spring. The application is due on September 30. This gives you approximately two months to complete the application.

The application has several different portions, and in several ways resembles portions of the Common App. We will go through each of these sections in turn, to describe what it’s asking and how best to answer each.

Biographical Information

This is the first section, and is exactly what it sounds like; questions about who you are and your background. Note that this will not impact your chances of getting the application; they do not consider demographic information, save in determining your eligibility for the scholarship. This portion of the application should be filled out to the best of your ability, we’ll give notes on points where students might have confusion.

For email address, this should be one you check regularly, and which is reasonably professional. You should have one of these for college applications as well. You should give your counselor a heads up you are applying for this scholarship; they usually will not reach out to counselors, but in case they do, it’s good to give forewarning. 

If you are a homeschooled student, and you are a member of a homeschooling association, you can enter the head of that organization as your principal and counselor. If you are not part of such an organization, you may enter your parent(s) for this section. You should only do this if you are homeschooled. 

The optional section is truly optional; this is information they collect for informational purposes, and does not impact your application’s chances. You can fill it out or not as you desire. 

School/Academic Activities

This, and the following sections, are akin to but distinct form the Activities and Honors sections of the Common App. The goal is again for you to inform the organization about how you spend your time outside of the classroom. For the Coca Cola scholarship specifically, this is the most important thing they consider, and the primary differentiator between applicants. 

How you enter information is the same in this and each subsequent section; we’ll cover it here and then refer back. What changes is what exactly they’re asking about. Unlike the Common App, which has a single list of ten spaces for you to list all activities you were involved with, here they break it down much further.

For each entry, you first put the total number of organizations of that kind you wish to discuss. The very first option is “Student Government,” with up to four total spaces; for this, you may enter 0-4, to indicate how many you’d like to talk about. Note that for something like student council, if it is the same body for all four years but you held different positions (i.e. member, secretary, vice-president), you can enter that as a single entry, and list different positions by grade level.

For each entry, they ask which grades you participated in, level of involvement at each grade, and the name of the activity. There is no room to explain or explore or elaborate on what exactly you were doing as part of that activity. This does make it easier to fill out, but gives you far less room to brag and add details.

The first section here is the abovementioned student government. This refers to both student council, and other leadership roles you take on within the school itself that are not part of a broader club or which do not fit into another of the categories. You can list up to four activities here. 

The second section is for academic honors societies. Most commonly this will include the National Honors Society, but there are plenty of these, both topic specific and a number of Greek organizations. They note that you should spell out the full name of each, and not use acronyms. You may indicate you were involved in 0-16 of these, but may provide details on up to four. 

The third section is on student media and publications. This includes things like school newspapers and the yearbook, but can also include things like a literary journal produced by your school that you work on. You may provide details on 0-4 of these.

The fourth section is for performing arts; theatre, dance, music, and the like. This includes both performing and technical roles, such as stage manager or set design. Note that you should only include school-sponsored activities in this section. You may record 0-4 of these.

The next section is on speech and debate. This also includes things like mock trial or model UN, but only those clubs you have participated in through your school. You may enter 0-2 activities here.

The next section is on visual arts; these are things like painting, photography, or digital art and design. You may enter details on up to two organizations you were part of through your school. Note that an activity may feel like it fits in two categories, such as if your school published an art book and you were both a contributor and editor. For these, you should pick one and enter it in there, rather than entering the same activity in multiple sections. 

The next section is athletics, which is for all club and team sports you participated in through your school. You may enter 0-6 of these, and provide detail on 0-2 of them. 

The next section is for any and all other clubs you were part of through your school. You should not repeat any entries from above or elsewhere on your application, and should only include those activities which were sponsored by your school. You may indicate you were involved with 0-16 of these, but may only enter details for up to three. We advise focusing on the club where you were involved the longest, and had the most impact, if you find yourself forced to choose which to include. 

The final portion of this section is for school based awards and honors; which is akin to the Honors portion of the Common App. Note that this is only for awards given through your school; there is another section for awards from elsewhere. Note that these awards should be academic centered; athletic awards are impressive, but they are not looking for those. You may enter details for 0-10 awards. 

Community Activities

This section is on the things you were involved with that were not your academic courses at your school, and which also were not directly sponsored by your school. This covers a lot of ground, but is not broken down quite so much. Just as with the above section, they ask only for the name of each activity, and your position and level of involvement, no other details. 

The first section is on the number of hours of volunteering and community service you did, both school-sponsored and on your own initiative. This can also include unpaid work you do for your family, such as working in a family member’s business or taking care of a family member. There is nowhere to discuss what this is, you simply write down the total number of hours spent doing this volunteering per grade level. 

The next section is for organizations and opportunities you were engaged with in your community (except for paid employment). You first list how many you were involved with, from 0-9, for each grade level. You are then given space to name up to three of these activities total. As with the section for high school activities, you only enter the name of it, and your role, no other description of your involvement. As you are only permitted three activities, you should focus on those where you had the most involvement, and where you had the highest level of leadership responsibility. 

Finally, you may list community-based awards and honors. This is again akin to the honors section of the Common App, but allows you to list any awards you have won outside the context of your school. You may enter 0-10 of these. The name of the award should also include the group who was awarding it, or in which context it was received. 

Academic Information

In this section, you enter information on the academic courses you have taken. You must have taken at least three courses in the following subjects: English, math, science, and social studies. Students who have not done this will not have their applications reviewed. You may only report courses which appear on your high school transcript (though dual-enrollment courses qualify). 

If a course gives a final grade, report that. If a course instead only gives term grades (such as for schools that grade on a semester system), report the higher of the term grades. All grades reported should match your transcript; students who advance to the next phase of consideration are asked to provide an official transcript, so they will check on this. 

For each subject, you are able to enter up to five courses. Some courses, like Art History, may be able to be put into multiple categories; you must choose which one to put it in when entering the course. For each course, you are asked to enter the name of the course, whether you completed it, the level of the course (advanced, on level, remedial), and what grade you received in the course.

The following course categories are offered: English, Math, Science, Social Studies, Foreign Language (0-4 courses), Arts (0-4 courses), and Other Courses (0-4 courses). You are finally asked for class rank information. This should be reported exactly as it is on your transcript. 

Employment Information

This section is only for paid work you have done. Unpaid work may be entered under another section at your discretion. Academic and research internships should go under the section for school and academic activities. Self-employment, for jobs like babysitting or tutoring, should be entered as well, with self-employment and the kind of job listed as the employer.

For each grade, you are asked the following questions: 

• How many weeks you were employed
• How many hours a week you worked during the school year (on average)
• How many hours a week you worked during the summer (on average)
• Total number of employers
• The names of any employers

Self-employed jobs do not count towards number of employers, but should still be listed under names of employers. 

Is This Scholarship Right for You?

What this scholarship is looking for primarily is evidence of leadership, in both your school and in the community at large. This can be demonstrated only by the activities you were involved with, and the positions you held within those activities. 

Unlike the Common App, where the activities list gives you some (very limited) room to add context, here, you only list names and positions, nothing else. Students who pursued more atypical activities, or who assumed de facto rather than de jure leadership positions, may not be well served by this scholarship. 

Also unlike the Common App, there is no way to divulge the number of hours you spent on each activity in a week; this makes gauging the level of involvement you had even more difficult, and may hurt students who had a very intense involvement in only one or two activities (something that colleges often enjoy seeing). 

If you are engaged in a wide range of primarily academic extracurriculars, or other opportunities through your school, and have demonstrated a high degree of leadership in those through holding offices, then this is likely a good scholarship for you to apply to. They look specifically for leadership demonstrated in this way, and this is all their application screens for. Students who have not done this may find success applying for other scholarships. 

Finally, students who achieved high academic success are more likely to be awarded this scholarship. They do, however, count any grade between 90-100 as an A, which is more flexibility than some programs have (that is, they don’t have any distinction between A and A-, or B+ and B). Students who have done well in difficult courses are more likely to receive this scholarship. 

Final Thoughts

There are many third party scholarships out there, all of which seek to help students pay for college, especially as costs mount ever higher. We hope that this article has given you insight into one such scholarship, and whether or not the Coca Cola Scholarship is right for your needs, and suits your background.

Of course, navigating the difficulties of financial aid is just one hurdle of many in the college application process. From drafting the perfect essays to choosing which college to apply to in the first place, college applications are often a serious challenge, one students usually don’t get nearly enough support for. That’s where �ԹϹ��� can help. Our team of expert mentors is well equipped to help students with every aspect of the admissions process, and to give you the guidance and support you need. Schedule a free consultation today to learn more; we’re always happy to hear from you.

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These are scholarships funded by the Florida lottery in partnership with the department of education. There are several different scholarships under this one umbrella; we will go through each. They do all have the same core eligibility requirements, then each individual scholarship has additional eligibility requirements. In order to be eligible for any of these you must: 

• Be a Florida resident and a US citizen or eligible non-citizen
• Earn a high school diploma from a public or private Florida high school, or a home education program
• Be accepted by and enrolled in an eligible public or private college in Florida
• Be enrolled for at least six non-remedial credit hours
• If you do not enroll directly out of high school, you must enroll within five years of graduation

Applications for all of these require you to complete the Florida Financial Aid Application (FFAA). These awards generally only fund undergraduate education, and you must be enrolled in at least six credit-hours per semester. These awards can be transferred between different public colleges and universities in Florida, but this is not guaranteed, and you must alert the awarding agency in a timely manner.

Florida Academic Scholars (FAS) and Florida Medallion Scholars (FMS)

These awards are merit based. They have similar requirements, though FAS is stricter than FMS. FAS awards cover 100% of tuition and mandatory fees. FMS awards cover 75% of tuition and mandatory fees. Study abroad may or may not be covered; this is determined by your institution. 

These are the requirements for each award: 

• FAS: 3.5 GPA, 29 ACT or 1330 SAT, 100 hours volunteering or 100 hours paid work
• FMS: 3.0 GPA, 24 ACT or 1190 SAT, 75 hours volunteering or 100 hours paid work (though you must have 100 hours total combined)

Note that when calculating GPA, they do allow you to weight AP and IB courses .5 higher. Your volunteering hours must be approved by your school.

Gold Seal Vocational Scholars

These scholarship awards are meant for students undertaking vocational or career training. They award a set amount of scholarship funding per credit hour taken. To qualify, you must have a 3.0 high school GPA, score a 970 SAT or 19 ACT, and complete 75 volunteer hours or 100 paid work hours. 

Gold Seal Cape Scholars

These scholarship awards are for students in certificate or vocational training programs. Students who attain an associates degree in science while enrolled in this awards program may gain funding for 60 credit hours to continue pursuing a BS in science at a four year institution. This award gives a set amount of funding per credit hour. 

To qualify for this award, you must earn five postsecondary credit hours through industry certifications that articulate for college credit, and must have 75 hours of volunteering or 100 hours of paid work.

This is a merit scholarship for Florida students who earn a National Merit Scholarship. This scholarship pays for the full cost of attendance at a public university (minus other scholarships received), or the equivalent of cost of attendance at a public university towards a private institution. Cost of attendance includes tuition, mandatory fees, and room & board. 

This scholarship may be applied to any college or university in Florida which accepts National Merit Scholarships; currently there are nine of these schools. You must have graduated from a Florida high school (public or private), or completed homeschooling in Florida to be eligible for this scholarship. You must be enrolled full time and maintain a 3.0 GPA to continue receiving this scholarship. You must complete the FFAA to be awarded this scholarship, but there is no separate application required. 

This is a scholarship for Florida residents who are specifically attending private colleges or universities in Florida. This scholarship fund is administered by the state, but each college is in control for determining eligibility and application requirements for this scholarship. You must be enrolled full time and not have a prior bachelor’s degree. Note that this funding cannot go to students seeking a degree in theology or divinity; students in a number of high demand areas (such as teaching, nursing, or cybersecurity) may receive an additional stipend.

You must maintain a minimum GPA of 2.0, and maintain full time enrollment in good standing for the award to be renewed. The award may be renewed for a maximum of nine semesters. The amount of the award is set by the legislature each year, and may change. 

This is a need-based award meant specifically for first generation college students with a high degree of financial need. Award amounts and recipients are determined by colleges; this award is only available to students attending a Florida State University school or a community college. 

You must be a Florida resident and a US citizen or eligible non-citizen. You must also not have previously received a bachelor’s degree. Additional requirements may be set by the institutions which grant the awards. You must stay enrolled at least half-time to receive the funding. You must complete the FAFSA each year in order to demonstrate continued financial need.

This is a need-based merit scholarship program that awards 50 scholarships each year. These scholarships may only be applied to public colleges and universities in Florida, and provide funding for the full cost of tuition and mandatory fees. You must be enrolled as a full time student at the school, and maintain good academic standing and a GPA of at least 2.5 to continue receiving the award. The award has the following eligibility requirements: 

• Be a Florida resident and a US citizen or eligible non-citizen
• Have earned a high school GPA of at least 3.5/4.0
• Complete at least 30 hours of volunteering or community service
• Have a minimum 90% attendance rate and no disciplinary record
• Be a farmworker or child of a farmworker

To apply for this award, you must complete both the FAFSA, and the Florida equivalent, the FFAA. The latter must be submitted by April 1 at the latest, though if there are more eligible students than awards available, disbursement will be determined by when they received financial aid applications. Further applications are not required to renew the award, though you must complete the FAFSA each year.

This is a need-based grant program. There are separate sub-scholarships within this, one for students attending public colleges, one for students attending private colleges, and one for students attending vocational training. The eligibility requirements and application are always set by the institution the student is attending, though the general eligibility requirements are the same across schools. 

The base eligibility for the award is:

• Be a Florida resident and a US citizen or eligible non-citizen
• Not have previously earned a bachelor’s degree
• Not be in default on any student loans
• Students in the public colleges program must be enrolled at least half-time, students enrolled in the private colleges program must be enrolled full-time

You must maintain a GPA of 2.0 in order to continue receiving this award. You must complete the FAFSA for both original and continued eligibility for this award. The grant amount is set by the Florida legislature, with a minimum of $200 per year, the maximum amount is greater, and can change year-to-year.

This is a need and merit based scholarship for students attending select undergraduate programs, namely: Bethune-Cookman University, Edward Waters University, Florida A&M University or Florida Memorial University. Each of these institutions has their own standards for what constitutes financial need, and what students need to do in order to apply for this award. 

All students must be US citizens or permanent residents, and must have a minimum GPA of 3.0 out of 4.0. You must also maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0 out of 4.0 to continue receiving the award; specific schools may have additional academic requirements. The amount of funding this award provides every year is set by the Florida legislature.

This scholarship is specifically for descendants of victims of the , or for African American residents of Ocoee, Florida. Recipients must attend a Florida State University school, an HBCU, a community college in Florida, or a public technical center. This award provides up to $6,100 annually, though the amount may be changed by the Florida legislature. 

In order to apply, you must complete both the FAFSA and the FFAA. In addition, you must provide documentation for your eligibility for the scholarship, either by proving that you are a descendant of one of the victims through genealogical evidence, or by proving your residency in Ocoee. This requires an application; this opens February 1 and is due by April 1. Awards will be prioritized in order of financial need. 

An application is not required to renew this award. The award may be renewed for a maximum of eight semesters, or until the student earns a bachelor’s degree, whichever comes first. Students must be enrolled full time and receive a 2.0 GPA to maintain eligibility. Students must file the FAFSA each year.

This scholarship is offered to up to 50 students each year who are descendants of the victims of the . This scholarship can only go to a public college or community college in Florida, or a public technical center in Florida. The annual award is for up to $6,100, which may be used to cover tuition and fees. Exact award amounts depend on legislative appropriations. 

To apply for the award, students must submit both the FAFSA and the FFAA. In addition, they need to submit genealogical proof of their relationship to one of the victims at Rosewood. There is an additional application for this award, which must be submitted by April 1.

Students must enroll full time, and may not have a prior bachelor’s degree. This award may be renewed for up to eight semesters. Renewal does not require an application, but is determined automatically. You must remain a full time student in good standing with a minimum GPA of 2.0 to be eligible for renewal. If there are more eligible students than awards, then financial need is used as the determining factor. 

This scholarship, as the name implies, is for spouses or dependent children of Florida veterans who died or became disabled in the line of duty. This award covers the full tuition and fees at a public college or university, or funding equivalent to that a commensurate public college would charge at a private university. 

Children of veterans must be between the ages of 16 and 22 when they first apply, and must be able to verify residency status. Spouses of veterans who are disabled must have been married for at least one year, and must remain married for the duration of the scholarship. Spouses of deceased veterans must apply for the award within five years, and may not remarry while receiving the scholarship. 

All recipients must be enrolled at least half time. Applying for this award requires submitting the FFAA by April 1. You must remain a student in good standing with a GPA of at least 2.0 to renew this award. Renewal is determined automatically, no further applications required.

Final Thoughts

Florida has a number of excellent universities, both public and private, and provides good support for students who need it. While we didn’t cover it in this article, we do want to note that Florida is a state which also offers a number of public scholarships to help send students to . This is significantly less common than college level scholarships, and so we felt it worth mentioning. 

Whether you are applying to one of Florida’s great colleges, or looking to travel further afield, the path to college can be a difficult one, with many possible missteps for the unwary. As colleges become ever more competitive, having an expert guide to help you along the way is an increasingly popular choice. Schedule a free consultation today to learn how we can help you navigate your college journey; we’re always happy to hear from you.

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Eagle Scouting and Candidacy Building

The rank of Eagle Scout is the highest rank in scouting ( changed their name in 2025 to Scouting America, as they are now allowing girls to join as well. While boys and girls are in separate troops, the organization is now fully coed, and all students have the same requirements and opportunities within the organization). This is a very selective rank, and requires a significant time devotion to scouting; approximately 4% of all scouts end up attaining the rank of Eagle.

Becoming an Eagle Scout requires the following:

• You must have been a scout in good standing for at least six months
• You must have earned at least 21 merit badges (14 of which are mandatory to become an Eagle)
• You must have demonstrated the qualities expected of a scout, especially leadership in your troop
• You must complete an Eagle Project (more on that later)

All of these requirements must be completed before your 18th birthday. Once they are done, a review board is convened to determine your candidacy; and they decide whether or not you have attained the rank of Eagle scout. Being an Eagle is notable in that it is one of the few achievements you can win in high school that you can continue legitimately putting on your resume much later in life, and still have an impact. It isn’t unique in this, but it is one oft overlooked benefit of becoming an Eagle scout.

Being an Eagle is not going to get you into a top college in and of itself; it is a somewhat exclusive coterie, but there are still thousands of Eagle Scouts in the US. Much more useful are the things you must do to become an Eagle; demonstrating leadership, consistent work towards a goal, serving your community and demonstrating your values; all of these are traits colleges look for when evaluating students. And then, there’s the Eagle Project.

Eagle Projects and College Admissions

Every other requirement for Eagle Scout is qualification; you must meet these specific benchmarks to show that you have the caliber of character they are looking for in an Eagle. It is the Eagle project that really determines whether or not you make the cut, and what separates Eagle Scouts from their peers. 

Technically known as the Eagle Scout Service Project, it has the following criteria, according to the Scouts Handbook: 

• While a Life Scout, plan, develop, and give leadership to others in a service project helpful to any religious institution, any school, or your community. (The project must benefit an organization other than the Boy Scouts of America.) A project proposal must be approved by the organization benefiting from the effort, your Scoutmaster and unit committee, and the council or district before you start. You must use the Eagle Scout Service Project Workbook, in meeting this requirement.

This is intentionally very broad, though there are a few other requirements. This cannot be a commercial venture, nor can it simply involve fundraising. This project must involve something tangible and real, and lead to the scout getting their hands dirty (be that literally or metaphorically), in the weeds of it. 

As an example, in the town where I live, there is a rather nice park with some hiking trails. Nothing grand or extensive, but a few miles through a nature reserve, a good walk on a nice day. There are several maps of the trails throughout the course of them, showing where they intersect and the routes they take; these were created as an Eagle project, as a small plaque on them will tell you, some ten years ago now. 

This is not a world-changing project, not curing cancer or going to the stars, but it’s a tangible and definite benefit to the scout’s community, making things that much better for people in a small but real way. This is the kind of project many scouts complete, an incremental step in making the lives and community around them better through their own effort. 

In many ways, these exactly parallel what colleges want to see form a capstone achievement in high school. This is something of your own design, brought forth by your effort, and with a noticeable impact on a community you are part of. As with all capstone projects, it both shows off the bounds of your accomplishments, and what you value and hold dear.

On top of this, being an Eagle provides a lot of really good material for writing your essays. Colleges often ask about how you’ve shown leadership abilities, or contributed to your community, or a passion project you’re completed, and Eagle Scouts have material for this in spades.

Eagle Scout Scholarships

The offers a number of scholarships which are set aside specifically for Eagle Scouts. Note that Eagle scouts are not required to join NESA, but it is a requirement to apply for these scholarships. There are numerous scholarships, each of which has its own criteria to apply for, and each with differing aid amounts. 

The scholarships as a whole do share a single application, which can be found on NESA’s . In addition, while some scholarships have additional eligibility requirements, they do all share some core ones. These are the eligibility factors all applicants need to have:

• You must be an Eagle Scout, and a member of NESA
• You must be between your senior year of high school and your junior year of an undergraduate program, or the halfway point of an associates degree or trade program
• All scholarships are one time awards, and you may only ever receive a single NESA scholarship
• You must be enrolled or accepted into an accredited program as a full time student, either a terminal degree program or a trade school
• These scholarships are not available to any students attending a military academy, or to students pursuing graduate or masters degrees

They are looking to award scholarships to scouts who are active participants in both scouting, and in their local communities. Since both of those are generally requirements to become an Eagle already, this is not terribly surprising. In 2024, they received slightly over 4,300 applications and awarded 69 scholarships.

There are a variety of scholarships; some of these have need-based components, others are purely merit based. Since they all have a single application, you can apply for all of these at once. Applications open December 1, and are due by the end of January. Once an application is started, you will be sent an email, this is how you will be able to submit application materials. 

The application requires personal information, transcripts, letters of recommendation, and essays. The essays in particular are extremely important, and are a major component in who ends up getting awarded these scholarships. Academic performance is always important too of course, but it is the essays that make the difference in the end. 

They do give one note, that writing about your Eagle project may not be the best topic. While it works great for college essays, in this applicant pool, everyone has completed an Eagle project. They recommend looking for something else you have done, which may set you apart more (even if it still scouting related).

NESA offers a variety of scholarships, ranging from a few thousand dollars up to $50,000. These are all one-time awards, but are often disbursed over a period of time, some amount for each year of education. 

Are Eagle Scout Scholarships a Good Option for You?

If you’re already involved in scouting, then yes, definitely. The odds can be long, but the experience of scouting itself can be quite valuable for college admissions on its own, even without the scholarship. Of course, taking part in scouting can be a serious commitment, one students often begin quite young. 

This leads to a question for younger students: whether or not getting involved in scouting is a good choice, and a good use of time. As is so often the case when evaluating extracurriculars, the answer is: it depends. Scouting provides a lot of opportunities to get involved with leadership projects, give back to your community, and learn useful skills, but it is hardly the only way to do these things.

If you find yourself enjoying the other parts of scouting; the camaraderie, the structure, the emphasis on practical skills and giving back to your community, then it is definitely something you should pursue. As with all activities, it is a commitment and investment, and you can’t do everything. There are only so many hours in a day after all. 

For younger students, we recommend giving scouting a try if it is something you are interested in. It might not be for you, and that’s perfectly fine, there are plenty of other options available. It might, however, be exactly the kind of activity you’re looking for to complement your time in high school.

Final Thoughts

It is always nice to find an opportunity which will both help you become the kind of student colleges want to admit, and provide scholarship opportunities for those colleges. Of course, scouting is certainly not the right choice for every student, but now that it’s open to boys and girls alike, it’s definitely an option many students should consider when looking into extracurriculars. 

We hope this article has given you insight into how scouting can impact your college application journey, and what benefits it can bring. If you are looking for help evaluating your own extracurricular options, or finding scholarships specific to your situation, then �ԹϹ��� can help. Schedule a free consultation today to learn how we can make your path to college smoother; we’re always happy to hear from you.

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In this article, we’re going to talk about one such scholarship: the . We’re going to go over what exactly this is, how to apply for it, and how to maximize your chances of winning it. As with all competitive scholarships, Davidson is quite competitive, but in many ways the journey of this scholarship makes applications worthwhile anyway. Let’s find out why!

The Davidson Fellows Scholarship

This is a scholarship run by the , a foundation devoted to supporting and advancing particularly gifted students. The scholarship itself has three levels of awards: $25,000, $50,000, and $100,000. This is not a recurring or renewable scholarship, but you have ten years to use it. The scholarship funding may be spent on any educational related expense, from tuition costs, to supplies, to fees. 

The scholarship money can go directly to the school, or your family can pay the costs and then be reimbursed by the scholarship. Due to the ten year limit on the scholarship, some students use it to pay for graduate school as well. 

This scholarship is awarded annually. All submissions must be in one of their stated categories (more on that later), but are judged and awarded collectively. The number of awards given is budgeted to be 20 total annually; an independent panel of judges reviews all projects and selects those most worthy of recognition to be awarded, along with the level of award each will receive.

Eligibility

The scholarship has broad availability. There is no fee to apply for this scholarship. You must be 18 years old or younger (there is no minimum age), and a US citizen or permanent resident residing in the US. US citizens living abroad due to military deployment are eligible; citizens living abroad for other reasons are typically not eligible to apply. 

These are the only rules for eligibility.

Applying for a Davidson Fellowship

Applications to the Davidson Fellows program must be done online. The application opens in the Fall, and is due in early February. The application must be , and has two parts. The first part asks for a brief description of your project, to ensure that it is eligible for the scholarship. In the second, you input your nominator’s information, along with category specific criteria. 

Each application requires submission of a project or portfolio that falls into one of their specified categories. Each category has its own application requirements; we go into these in more detail in the next section. 

They urge students to submit the initial portion of the application, the description of your project, as soon as possible. This will then be reviewed, and if it is deemed eligible, you and your nominators will be sent links to submit the rest of the materials. 

You must have two nominators for your project; these may not be your parents. Despite describing these as nominators, their real purpose is much more that of a letter of recommendation; we do not know why they do not just use that term, but that is their prerogative. See our article here for advice on letters of recommendation. Note that these nominators should include any research mentors you worked with in the creation of your project.

Once these and your project are submitted, they will be reviewed by an independent panel of judges. We will go over review criteria in a later section. We advise you to submit before the deadline, though there is no mechanical advantage to submitting early; it simply ensures you won’t be late due to unforeseen circumstances. 

Davidson Fellowship Project Categories

Projects submitted to the Davidson Fellows Scholarship fall into one of three broad categories, each of which has its own sub-categories. These are: 

• STEM: Science, Technology, Engineering, Math
• Humanities: Literature, Music, Philosophy
• Out-of-the-Box: Social Sciences, Academic fields not listed, interdisciplinary projects

Note that there are also some fields where students may not submit projects. This includes all artistic fields other than music, sports, and community service. While these can all be wonderful projects, these are not what the Davidson Fellowship is looking for. We will now go through each of these categories in turn, plus their sub-categories, to explain what they are looking for in these project submissions. 

Also note that any projects involving human subjects (including surveys) or studies involving live vertebrates are not eligible for submission.

STEM Projects

All STEM projects have the same basic requirements, regardless of field. These basic requirements are: 

• A formal research paper
• A visual model
• Code
• Supplemental documentation or information
• Application Attachments

The formal research paper is exactly what it sounds like, and should follow the standard model of an academic paper as would be submitted for publication. For guidance on writing one of these papers, see our article on the subject here. Note that for these papers, they do not accept literature reviews. You need to have done novel research and analysis, even if it is a reinterpretation or application of an existing data set. Your paper should of course have a literature review section, but this cannot be the entire paper. If you are using a paper that has already been published, make sure you don’t self plagiarize. They have a link where you can report it if you are submitting a paper by you which has already been published elsewhere. This is allowed, but they want to know.

The visual model can be any image or graphics which best represent the work you have done. This can be plots or charts, diagrams, technical drawings, powerpoints, 3d visualizations; anything which visually illustrates what you have done. Davidson recommends you consult with your nominators about how best to present your data or project visually. 

Not all projects in this category will use code, but if yours did, then judges want to see it. All code needs to be differentiated between code you acquired (such as open source projects from GitHub), and the code you wrote. This is so judges can accurately evaluate your particular contributions to the coding aspect of the project. Even if your project uses limited code, such as R for data analysis, this needs to be noted. 

Supplemental information is anything else you want the judges to know about your project. Most commonly, this is future plans if this is an ongoing undertaking, or a resume for further context. Davidson allows you to submit projects which have been submitted elsewhere, so if your research project already won at a local science fair, you can put that on your resume and then submit it as supplemental material.

Finally, you must include attachments to your application; all categories require this, but they vary in their components. Within STEM, they are all the same. You are first required to complete two essays. The first essay is on your process, and is meant to describe how you undertook the research and work you completed. This essay is meant to answer the following questions: 

• What inspired you to pursue this work?
• How much time (hours/days/months) did it take you to complete this work?
• How did you organize the work that went into doing it?
• What difficulties did you encounter and how did you handle them?
• Where was the work completed?
• Who supervised your work (ex. teacher, mentor, grad student, principal investigator, etc.)?
• List who helped you and what assistance they provided. (Please include individuals who offered equipment, ideas, critiques, materials, methodology, etc.)
• Was your project completed through a paid program/mentorship? If yes, which one, who did you work with and in what capacity?

The final question is especially important, especially as paid research programs proliferate, many of questionable quality. Their goal with this is to determine how much of the work was actually done by you, and that your contributions were your own. The second question is simpler in nature, but harder to answer: it asks how your project, as you understand it, will benefit society or have a positive impact. 

Finally, you are required to submit a video of up to ten minutes in length. You are not judged on production quality, though it should be intelligible. This is your chance to discuss anything else you feel is relevant to your submission that wasn’t covered elsewhere; they encourage creativity in this. The two essays must be submitted directly with your application, the video must be uploaded to Youtube. 

Humanities

Humanities projects have similar requirements, but differ somewhat based on individual field and the nature of work within them, so we will cover each in turn. All of these require a portfolio of work, a grand project and undertaking; these are meant to be equally difficult and equally impressive as the STEM projects. 

Literature

For literature, you are required to submit a portfolio of different works totalling 60-75 pages in length. They want you to demonstrate your breadth and depth as a writer, and want works from three of the following four genres: 

• Fiction (they note that novel excerpts may not exceed 30 pages)
• Nonfiction (they note that any school assignments, including book reports, research papers, or journalism, may not be submitted)
• Poetry
• Drama or screenplay

They note that each genre may have multiple shorter pieces, so long as all three genres are represented. An overarching theme may be incorporated at your discretion, but is not expected or required. A bibliography (if necessary for nonfiction or otherwise), does not count towards the total page count. All pieces need to have been created by you within the past three years (or updated within the past three years). 

You must also submit a literary narrative; this is not counted with the literary portfolio page count. This is a narrative written by you about your own relationship with reading and writing, and how you relate to and view yourself and your work in a literary context. The purpose of this is to express yourself and analyze your own relationship with this as an artistic field. They specifically link to when discussing what a literary narrative is and what they are looking for.

Finally, there are the attachments. These are additional components which are attached to but separate from the portfolio itself; more of a meta commentary. The first is the process essay; this is discussed above in the STEM section. The second is a video submission, this is also discussed in the STEM section. Your creation process for literature is likely to be entirely distinct from the creation process for a scientific research paper, but they still want to understand it, to gain deeper insight into how the work you submitted was done. 

Music

The music portfolio has three distinct categories: composition, classical instrument, and other instrument. Each of these has different portfolio components, but all have the same additional attachments component at the end. We’ll go through the portfolio components for each, and then discuss the attachment requirements. 

Composer portfolios are required to include three scores created by you, and recordings of those scores being performed. They note specifically that AI generated compositions are not allowed, but MIDI may be used for recordings. There are no other guidelines on the character or requirements of these compositions.

Classical instrument portfolios require two components. The first is an audition-format video demonstrating your breadth and depth as a musician by playing at least one piece from at least three of the following periods: Baroque, Classical, Romantic, and Contemporary. This recording need not be done in one take, and cannot exceed 45 minutes total. The second component is a live recording of you playing your instrument in a public performance within the past year which includes one complete movement of a concerta, sonata, or solo piece.

Other instrument portfolios are for jazz, bluegrass, and other musical traditions not considered classical. These require two components. The first is an audition style video of not more than 45 minutes demonstrating your breadth and depth as an artist. This must include one piece where you play off a written manuscript, demonstrating your ability to read music, plus three additional pieces. The second component is an unedited video of a public performance of your instrument within the past year. 

Regardless of portfolio type, all applicants in music must include the same attachments. Two of these are the process essay and personal video, described already under the STEM section. Your process for music is likely to be very different, but this is a place to detail all the work you did, that which cannot be seen in a simple audition piece, your time and effort spent perfecting your craft.

The other essay attachment required is a reflective essay, a chance for you to reflect on how music and performance impact you and your life. There are no length guidelines or requirements for this essay. They want this piece to reflect on the following questions:

• What music means to you in your everyday life?
• How you think music is socially relevant?
• Do you think music has the capacity to bring people together in our ever-fractured society? If yes, how? If no, why not?
• Do you plan on pursuing music as you progress through school, career and life? Why or why not?
• Is there anything else you would like to reflect on about your submission?

Philosophy

A philosophy portfolio is a compendium of works written by the student presenting analyses of fundamental assumptions or beliefs relating to human thought or culture. A portfolio should contain three to five different short pieces of this nature, each no more than 3,000 words in length. Each piece needs its own bibliography; they prefer APA formatting for citations. 

The philosophy submission also requires attachments. These are the exact same as those required of STEM submissions; first an essay on your process, then an essay on your work’s relevance and benefit to society, and finally a ten minute video describing your work, serving as a conclusion to all else included in your submission. 

Outside the Box

This category is for all submissions that do not fit into another category, and which are also not one of the categories they do not accept (all other arts, athletic accomplishments, and community service). All work submitted is expected to be graduate level, and you should not submit school assignments or descriptions of future majors or fields of study. If your work fits into another category, then you should submit it as that category. 

You must specify the category or categories your submission falls into. From there, there are several options for what you can actually include. Specifically, this can be either a written research paper, or a portfolio of work, in both cases meant to demonstrate the breadth of your understanding and engagement with the material at question. You may also include supplemental material, such as graphics or images, best needed to convey your points. You are expected to include a bibliography should one be necessary as part of your work.

The Outside the Box submission also requires attachments. These are the exact same as those required of STEM submissions; first an essay on your process, then an essay on your work’s relevance and benefit to society, and finally a ten minute video describing your work, serving as a conclusion to all else included in your submission. 

How Projects are Reviewed

All submissions for the scholarship are reviewed by a panel of judges; there will be subject matter experts in your field and in related fields who are judging your work. The goal here is that all works are reviewed by people who understand them. In general, judges are looking for the following things when they judge submissions: 

• The scope and quality of the work
• How significant the work is to the domain in question as judged by subject matter experts
• Your own depth of knowledge of the work and of related fields of knowledge

Overall, they are looking for projects that go above and beyond what could be expected of high school level work, and that show a real possibility of changing and impacting the world in a positive way. Now, there are many different ways a work can be judged to be significant. They do give some examples of what they consider: 

• Creative reapplication of existing knowledge, especially if it’s in a way that creates a great benefit in an unexpected way
• A fully new idea or innovation with immediately apparent impact
• An important advancement in a field that can be replicated and built upon, even if not immediately impactful
• A prodigious performance (for music especially)

Note that they don’t want purely theoretical projects for this reason; they want to see how your ideas work in practice to benefit society. A theory is great, but they can’t judge that. A project in progress can be submitted if you have the necessary data and results and proof of relevance to be judged. If it doesn’t, then keep working, and apply next year.

Strict Judging Criteria

The first thing judges check is that the application is fully complete and correct. This is an application with a lot of moving parts, and judges need to be able to access all of them. Make sure each essay is uploaded to the right place, not duplicated or left out. For your video uploaded to YouTube, make sure it is an unlisted video, and not a private video. Private videos are not watchable, this renders an application incomplete and your application will not be viewed.

These judges are professors or PhDs, and there are different panels for different subjects (this is why they ask you to specifically designate your field and subfield when you apply). Thus if you submit a chemistry project, it will be judged by chemistry professors, while a literature project will be reviewed by literature professors.

Projects are scored on this rubric out of 100 points: 

• 50 points for quality and scope of the entry
• 30 points for the level of significance
• 20 points for the depth of knowledge and understanding of the domain area

This evaluation is based on the application packet alone. Having won other programs is great, and can be a sign the project is worth submitting, but will not impact judging either way. Note that you may receive questions via email if they have questions about your application; make sure you answer these emails promptly.

Judging runs through the end of June, there were approximately 750 applicants in 2024 and 900 in 2025. If your project is not selected for an award, you can continue working on the project and resubmit next year if you are still eligible.

A Note on Intellectual Property

Your submission and application will not be published on the website; if you win, you will be asked to write additional material to feature on their website. All intellectual property remains the property of the student; judges and members of the staff at Davidson sign NDAs and confidentiality agreements to this effect.

They do specifically state that even if your material is patent pending, you must still submit all required documentation. They will not steal your ideas, but they do need to be able to see and understand your process. None of these materials will ever be published by them, and remain the student’s intellectual property.

Final Thoughts

This is an incredibly detailed application, and they urge all students to read the entire thing carefully before submitting, and to make sure you understand it before you do. They also welcome you to reach out with any questions; they try to make everything straightforward, but with the amount of money on the line, they are incredibly strict with the standards for submission.

We hope that this article has given you a solid understanding of how the Davidson Fellows Scholarship operates. This is a very prestigious and very competitive scholarship, but one well worth applying to, as any project done for this scholarship is also going to look impressive in its own right on a college application. If you are looking for help doing one of these high tier research projects yourself, then �ԹϹ��� can help. Our Research Mentorships partner students with experienced and published researchers to conduct original research, and have seen publications in numerous professional and industry journals. Schedule a free consultation today to learn more; we’re always happy to hear from you.

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This is an application for students who wish to apply for financial aid from the state of Colorado, but who do not wish to fill out the FAFSA. For other state scholarships from Colorado, you will generally be considered with the FAFSA alone; this is specifically an alternative created for students where the FAFSA is not a viable option. 

This application can be completed entirely online, and opens each year on October 1, the year before aid would be awarded. In order to be eligible, you must have graduated from a Colorado high school (or received an equivalent after at least one year of living in Colorado), and must have been in Colorado for at least 12 consecutive months before enrolling in an institution. 

If you are eligible for federal aid, then you should complete the FAFSA instead. Note that you do not need to be a US citizen in order to complete the CASFA. Note that you may still apply to CASFA if you do not meet all of the residency requirements; colleges in Colorado do use CASFA in place of FAFSA to calculate institutional aid awards, and you may still receive scholarship funding through that, though not through Colorado’s own state aid.

Note that the CASFA itself is not an aid award; it can be used as an application for other grants awarded by Colorado, or for institutional grants for public colleges in Colorado. Unlike the FAFSA, you will not receive an email with your Expected Family Contribution. Instead, you will need to sign back into the site to view this. You should continue to check the portal regardless, as communications from school financial aid offices may come through there.

For all following scholarships, we will note if the CASFA can be used to qualify for them.

This is a stipend for eligible students attending a college in Colorado. There are funds for both public and private colleges, though the eligibility requirements differ. These are offered based on credit hour; $116 per credit hour at public colleges, and $58 per credit hour at private colleges. You must apply to this fund directly through the COF website. All funds are disbursed directly to the college you are attending, based on your enrolled credit hours.

If you qualify for in-state tuition at a public college in Colorado, then you are eligible for the COF. Note that in addition to this, each college sets its own eligibility requirements to decide who to award funding to; you should speak with your college’s financial aid office to determine their specific requirements.

For students attending a private college, you must meet the following eligibility requirements (in addition to any requirements set by the college in question):

• The college must be approved by the Colorado Commission on Higher Education
• You must qualify as an in-state student, and either graduated from a Colorado high school or completed homeschooling in Colorado
• Demonstrate financial aid by qualifying for the federal Pell Grant
• May not be pursuing a professional degree in theology

You only need to apply for this program once. After you apply, your account will be able to disburse funding for up to 145 credit hours. If you transfer to another college which is eligible to participate in the program, you must authorize them to receive the funding, but the funding transfers with you. It is possible to appeal for more funding if you have not received an undergraduate degree after 145 hours. 

Note that in some cases, colleges which do not use the COF will ask you to complete the application; these colleges use this information for their institutional aid calculations. 

This is a scholarship program which covers the full cost of education for former foster students who are attending a public college or university in Colorado. In order to qualify for this program, you must meet the following eligibility requirements: 

• You must be a current resident of Colorado
• You must have been in foster care in Colorado at the age of 13+
• You must be enrolled in a state university or college, in a terminal degree program
• You must reach out to the financial aid office at the school you are attending

There is no aid limit to this program. The program will cover up to 132 semester credits from the time you enroll in the program. Credits earned prior to enrolling in this program do not count against this limit. To apply for this program, you must complete the FAFSA or CASFA, and a FERPA consent form.

This scholarship covers the full cost of tuition, fees, reasonable housing expenses, books and supplies. This can also cover other necessary expenses, such as medical insurance; speak with your school’s financial aid office for more information. The deadline to apply and register is September 9 of the year you are seeking funding for.

(DTAP)

This program provides tuition assistance to the dependents of Colorado police officers, firefighters, or national guardsmen who died or became disabled in the line of duty. This covers tuition and room and board at public universities in Colorado, tuition and room and board charges at private institutions in Colorado up to what you would be charged at an equivalent public institution, or tuition expenses alone at an institution outside of Colorado, up to the tuition at a comparable Colorado institution.

Note that room and board benefits are only offered to students living on-campus in a residence hall. These benefits may be renewed for up to eight semesters, or until you earn an undergraduate degree, whichever comes first. 

Students must meet the following criteria to be eligible for this program: 

• You must be under the age of 24 and not already have a bachelor’s or equivalent degree when you apply for the program
• You must maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.5, and complete the FAFSA each year to maintain eligibility
• You do not need to be a full time student, but only six years of funding will be authorized
• You must submit documentation of your dependent status and to verify the state of the qualifying deceased or disabled individual

Applications are open March 1 through June 30. You may complete the application online. You must complete the FAFSA in order to be eligible.

These are not quite scholarships themselves, but are instead agreements Colorado has with a number of other states, which allow you to attend public colleges in those states while paying in-state tuition costs. In turn, students from those states may attend public colleges in Colorado and pay in-state costs. A great many states have similar programs, though the web of which ones have reciprocity agreements with each other is quite complicated.

Colorado specifically has agreements with two states: and . Additionally, they participate in a broader regional compact , which partners with almost every western state. allows you to only pay 150% of in-state tuition; still expensive, but a significant cost savings compared to normal out-of-state fees. This may not be the right option for all students, but is a great way to expand the list of colleges you may consider applying to.

Final Thoughts

College is expensive, but there are options out there to make it far more reasonable in terms of cost. Each state has their own set of programs and opportunities, and Colorado has a wide variety of great options to help their residents afford the cost of college. We hope this article has given you a good overview of these programs, and which you might qualify for.

If you are looking for advice on how to apply to any of these colleges, or the best application strategies to maximize your chances of getting great financial aid, then �ԹϹ��� can help. Our mentors specialize in meeting students where they are, and helping you acquire the skills you need to get into a top college. If you want to learn more, or get advice tailored to your specific situation, then schedule a free consultation with us today. We’re always happy to hear from you.

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This is one of the largest scholarship programs in the state. It offers grant aid to students with financial need, offering awards of $1,000 to $5,665 annually, for both full and part-time students. These awards can be renewed. In order to be eligible for these awards, you must meet the following criteria:

• Be a New York resident for at least 12 months before applying for the award
• Meet income requirements (which vary based on your status as a student)
• You must be a US citizen or eligible non-citizen
• You must have a high school diploma or GED
• You must be attending an
• You must maintain good academic standing

You may apply for the TAP directly through your FAFSA application. While this grant may be renewed, you need to apply each year through FAFSA in order to secure continued funding. There is an additional form to fill out for TAP specifically. The amount of TAP aid you receive depends on your financial circumstances, and the amount of tuition you are being charged.

This program enables students from low income families to attend a state operated CUNY or SUNY school tuition-free. This is a last dollar scholarship, meaning it is applied after any other aid awards you receive, including things like TAP or Pell Grants. This is a renewable grant; up to two years for associates, 4 years for bachelors, or five years for approved five year programs. 

In order to be eligible for this, your household income must be $125,000 or less. You must be a resident of New York, and you must be enrolled in a CUNY or SUNY college (or a grant college at Cornell University). You must be enrolled full time and be in good academic standing. 

Applications for this award are the same as the TAP application (as in, the one application lets you apply for both), and must be submitted with the FAFSA. You must apply for this scholarship each year. Note that as a condition of receiving this award, you agree to stay in New York post graduation for a number of years equal to the number of years receiving the scholarship. The state sees this scholarship as an investment, and they want to incentivize newly college-educated students to live and work in New York.

This is a scholarship open to students from families earning $125,000 or less. It provides a grant of up to $6,000 annually for tuition assistance to a participating private college or university. As part of this award, students agree to stay in New York for a number of years after graduation equal to the number of years they received this award. 

You must complete the TAP application and the FAFSA each year in order to qualify. You must be enrolled full time and in good standing to continue receiving the award. This award grants a maximum of $6,000, which may include TAP funding. You must have been a resident of New York State for 12 months in order to apply for this award.

If you fail to abide by the residency agreement; that is, you leave New York before the agreed upon time, the award is converted from a grant to a loan, though it will not charge interest for the first 10 years. You can find a list of colleges which participate in this program .

Generally abbreviated to the STEM Incentive Program, this is a scholarship specifically for students pursuing a STEM degree, as the name suggests. This provides tuition funding for students attending a SUNY or CUNY school in pursuit of a STEM degree. This covers full tuition costs, reduced by the amount of other aid awards you get, such as from TAP. 

This program does not have any income requirements or cutoffs, and is instead merit based. You must be a New York resident and a US citizen or eligible non-citizen. To be eligible, you must be in the top 10% of your high school class, be entering college directly out of high school, and must be pursuing a degree in one of their . While in college, you must maintain good academic standing and remain a full time student. 

After graduation, you are required to remain in New York for five years and work in a STEM occupation. Failure to do this will convert your grant aid to an interest-bearing student loan. This program has its own , which all students must complete. In addition, you must complete the FAFSA and TAP applications. You must also submit a transcript and have a school official complete a form to certify you are in the top 10% of your class.

The above awards have been aimed primarily at full time students; this one is instead for students who are pursuing a degree part-time. This award offers up to $2,000 annually. There are income limits for students applying for this award. As with all these awards, you must have been a New York resident for 12 months before applying. 

This program must be applied to through participating colleges. Generally, after submitting FAFSA and any college specific aid grants, the school’s financial aid office will select recipients, based on the total number of aid dollars they have available. You must apply for this aid each year through your college, generally by completing and submitting the FAFSA.

This is a scholarship available to both graduate and undergraduate students pursuing careers as math or science teachers in secondary education. The value of the award is equal to the tuition at SUNY of $3,535 per semester, or the actual tuition costs, whichever is lower. You must be a full time student in good standing to continue receiving this funding. 

There are limited funds available; previous recipients are prioritized. If there are more applicants than available funds, decisions will be made based on the GPA and ranking of applicants. You must complete the FAFSA and TAP applications to apply; these must be completed each year to continue qualifying for the award. 

In return for this award, students agree to teach math or science at a New York State school to students in grades 7-12 for five years. This requirement is in place regardless of the duration of the received award. Failure to complete this will convert the aid award into an interest-bearing student loan.

These are merit based awards of $500 or $1,500 dollars given to high-performing students at New York State high schools. These awards are based solely on your grades on certain Regents exams. There is no separate application for these awards; instead students are nominated by their high schools. If you are interested in this, then speak with your high school counselor. 

There are no income limits for these awards. You are eligible to receive other aid awards, such as TAP, but the total aid awarded cannot exceed tuition costs. You must still complete the FAFSA to get the aid from this award. This award is only given to students who enroll in a college (public or private) in New York directly after graduating high school. The intention of the program is to incentivize bright students to stay in New York for college. 

This award, as the name suggests, is meant to help veterans pay their tuition costs. This award is available to veterans with four years of active duty service who are pursuing a graduate, undergraduate, or approved vocational degree. The award is for the average tuition at SUNY, currently $7,070 annually, or the actual cost of tuition, whichever is less. 

They may receive tuition aid from other sources as well, though the total amount of aid received cannot exceed the total cost of tuition. To apply for this award, students must complete the FAFSA and TAP applications. These must be completed annually to continue receiving the awards. This award may be renewed for a maximum of four years worth of study. There are no income limits for this scholarship. 

This award is exactly what it sounds like, and provides aid to students who are the child of a deceased or disabled veteran who was killed or injured during a war or other national emergency. This award provides up to $450 per year towards study at an undergraduate school in New York state. 

This award has a to determine eligibility. Once this is submitted, you must also complete the FAFSA and TAP applications. This award may go to full or part time students. You must complete the FAFSA each year to maintain eligibility for this aid. 

This is a scholarship for the children, spouses, and dependents of the victims of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on New York. This covers the cost of attendance at a state-operated SUNY school. To apply for this award, you must first complete the FAFSA and TAP applications, and then submit to certify eligibility. 

This award is open to both New York residents and out-of-state students, and covers up to four years of undergraduate study. There are no income limits to receive this scholarship. You must be enrolled full time and maintain good academic standing to continue receiving the award. You will need to complete a FAFSA each year to maintain your eligibility.

This is a scholarship for the spouses, children, and financial dependents of deceased firefighters, police officers, peace officers, and EMS first responders who died on the job. This covers the cost of attendance at a state-run SUNY school. You must complete the FAFSA and TAP forms in order to apply for this scholarship, there is a supplemental form in the TAP application to apply for this scholarship. 

This award can provide up to four years of funding; you must complete and file the FAFSA each year to maintain eligibility. There are no income limits for this scholarship. You must be a full time student and maintain good academic standing to remain eligible for this award.

This scholarship is specifically for members of registered Native American tribes who reside in New York state. You or a parent must be an enrolled member of a tribe to gain the benefits of this scholarship. This provides up to $2,000 per year for full time students, part time students receive a pro-rated amount. You must provide proof of tribal affiliation when you apply. 

There is no income limit for this scholarship. You must apply every year, this scholarship may be awarded for a maximum of four years. You must maintain a GPA of at least 2.0 and good academic standing to maintain your eligibility for this award.

Final Thoughts

New York has an excellent and expansive series of public universities in the SUNY and CUNY systems, and they have a lot of incentives for New York residents to remain in the state. We hope that this article has shown you some of the excellent scholarship options they provide, and how in certain circumstances you might receive the entire cost of tuition discounted.

The fact that Cornell, an Ivy League school, is also an acceptable target for several of these scholarships is also worth noting. The real trick, then, is figuring out which of these opportunities are the best for your situation. If you are looking for assistance in crafting your own college list, or in navigating the often complex world of scholarships, then schedule a free consultation with us today. Our team of expert mentors understands every aspect of the admissions experience, and we’re always happy to hear from you.

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This award is given to students based on their Student Aid Index, as calculated by the federal government, and their academic merit. This money goes to residents of CT who are attending a public or private non-profit college or university in the state (which notably includes Yale). Both high school seniors and current undergraduate students may apply for this award.

This scholarship has the following eligibility requirements: 

• Be in the top 20th percentile of your high school class
• Have an SAT score of 1200 or higher or an ACT score of 25 or higher
• You must have an SAI under the cutoff; this cutoff is set by the office of higher education each year
• You must be a resident of Connecticut

In order to apply for this scholarship, you must complete the FAFSA by February 15, and have an application submitted on your behalf by your high school counselor. This award is for up to $5,250 per year for a four year degree program, or up to $4,650 a year for a two year program.

Roberta B Willis Scholarship – Need Based

This scholarship is related to the one above, but is based solely on financial need, without an additional merit component. It is only for CT residents who attend a four year in-state public or private nonprofit school. The award amount is up to $4,500. This program does not have an application, all you need to do to be considered is to submit the FAFSA by your school’s filing deadline. Contact your college’s financial aid office to learn what their specific filing deadlines are. 

Minority Teacher Incentive Program

This program is for current juniors and seniors attending a public college in Connecticut who are part of a teacher certification program and who are minority students. They may be nominated by their dean to receive this award. This award grants up to $5,000 per year for two years. In addition, it offers up to $2,500 of loan reimbursement funding per year for up to four years you spend teaching in a public school in Connecticut. This teaching is not mandatory, but it is incentivized by this program. 

Nominations are due by October 15; you need to contact your dean if you want them to nominate you.

This scholarship is both need and merit based. It is available to residents of Connecticut who are enrolled in an eligible state or nonprofit college. In order to be eligible for this scholarship, you must:

• Be eligible for a Pell Grant
• Have a GPA of at least 2.5
• Be enrolled at least half time in an undergraduate program
• Not be in default on any CHESLA loans

Scholarship applications open on March 1. Applications are submitted through their site. You must also have completed the FAFSA before you apply for this scholarship. Awards are for $1,500 for part-time students or $3,000 for full time students. There is a limited amount of aid available, and it is distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. 

Student Loan Reimbursement Program

This is an interesting financial aid program, as it is not a scholarship meant for current students, but instead a mechanism available to all Connecticut residents. Note that you must have lived in CT for at least five years prior to applying for this scholarship. Applications for this must be submitted . Applications require: 

• A CT personal income tax return
• A college diploma
• Proof of 50 hours of volunteer work
• Proof of an outstanding student loan balance
• Proof that you made payments towards that balance in the previous year

There is a limited amount of funding for this annually, and it is awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. Awards are for up to $5,000 per year, with a maximum award of $20,000 over four years. 

This is a last-dollar scholarship for students of all income levels, and is intended to allow for tuition-free attendance at a Connecticut community college. You must be a CT resident and have graduated high school or have a GED to be eligible. You must complete the FAFSA, and accept any grant funding offered by the government (but need not accept loans). 

You may be enrolled part-time or full-time, but must be taking at least 6 credits to qualify for this aid. Applications for this must be submitted online through your community college campus. Applications should be submitted by July 15 for priority consideration.

Private Scholarships

The state-funded awards are generally the most generous, and are usually the easiest to apply to as well. That said, many private scholarships exist for Connecticut residents as well. These can be searched for on many different scholarship sites. These are generally small local awards; a few hundred to a few thousand dollars to students in a very particular niche, but they can add up, or help with the many incidental costs associated with a college education. 

We are going to put some warnings on this, namely you should never pay for one of these services, or to apply to a scholarship; these are always scams. If you want a good place to begin looking, we recommend your high school guidance counselor. They should have a collection of scholarships for your town or county, ones meant for students in your situation. 

Final Thoughts

Staying in-state for college is a well-known way to get much lower tuition rates, as they are often tens of thousands of dollars cheaper than their private counterparts, or the high fees out-of-state students face at public universities. As this article has shown, however, there are other scholarship benefits to staying in-state, especially since Connecticut allows many of their scholarships to also go towards private nonprofit colleges, including Yale. 

Of course, getting into college is a challenge all its own, especially as acceptance rates continue to fall. If you want help building a college list that maximizes your chances of success, or in perfecting your applications to these schools, then schedule a free consultation with us today. We have a long experience working with students of all backgrounds, and are always happy to hear from you.

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In this article, we’re going to break this down in detail. We’ll cover what expected family contribution (EFC) is, and then dig into how it’s calculated at a number of top colleges. Our goal is to help you understand how college tuition costs are calculated, and how much you may be expected to pay if you attend a top college. Let’s jump right in!

What is the EFC?

Top colleges tend to offer primarily need-based aid. We have another article that goes into detail on the application process for this. In general, schools calculate how much money they think you can pay based on your income and assets, and that is then your expected contribution.

Now these numbers often do not line up with what you might expect, and are not the same across colleges. Two universities will get the exact same information from you, and then come back with completely different numbers for what they expect you to contribute. This is for one key reason: different colleges have different levels of monetary assets devoted to student financial aid.

Thus, even though your own assets are constant, your expected contribution will vary greatly at different schools. Different schools also consider assets differently; such as real estate, investments, and debt, and whether or not you have siblings who are also in college. 

As a final note, due to how aid letters are worded, some schools may count governmental loans or parent plus loans as aid, and some may count it as part of your expected family contribution. This is because there is no set of standards for how aid letters are composed, or how aid on them is labeled. You need to read these letters carefully to fully understand the awards you are offered, and how much a school actually expects you to pay. 

How EFC is Calculated at Top Schools

Each school has their own secret, proprietary formula that they use to calculate the amount of financial aid they offer to students. Some schools do work together to generate these formulas, though they have gotten into trouble for collusion on aid before. The exact details of these formulas are not public, unfortunately, but we do know how they work in general.

We are first going to outline how this works in general, and then go over the requirements top schools do release on their formulas. There are two primary components; how they calculate your total assets, and how they determine your overall need based on those assets.

Schools calculate assets based on the following factors, though different schools weight them differently: 

• Total taxable income, earned by both the student and their parents/guardians
• Non-retirement investments held by the parents
• Educational savings accounts
• Liquid assets
• Property owned. Most schools will not count a primary residential home amongst these assets
• Certain assets, such as foreign currency reserves and farmland are treated differently

Some colleges also take into account other factors that may impact your ability to pay, though how much they weight these factors varies greatly:

• Any debts held by the parents or leveraged against assets owned.
• Other siblings who are in higher education (though students who have education expenses outside of college are not counted).
• Some schools will consider significant medical expenses.

The biggest difference is what schools consider to be significant assets, and how much they will expect you to pay based on your income.

School Specific Policies

Here is a table listing top schools, along with notes on their cutoff points for offering aid. Note that these are mostly soft barriers, and families earning above these amounts may still receive aid. We cover exceptions and other quirks afterwards. Finally, note that many colleges are intentionally cagey about income limits on aid; we clarify this later as well.

For quick reference, the most generous colleges are in green, the moderate ones in yellow, and the least generous in red. Schools which do not specify limits are in red, for we generally find them to be less generous with aid (which is why they don’t have firm numbers on their site bragging about how generous they are).

Now we’ll cover some caveats which expand upon the information in this table, or which provide much needed context.

Aid Minimums and Maximums

Some colleges have a set income limit, where below that families do not have to contribute anything to their child’s education; this is the primary number we include in the table above. Some colleges have tiers of this; where under one income all expenses are covered, and under another the full cost of tuition is. 

Colleges do not list maximum incomes for which they will no longer provide scholarships, if they discuss hard numbers at all. Instead, they will give an upper bound, after which scholarship dollars taper off. 

Many schools offer neither an upper or lower bound for income limits to receive scholarship offers, instead making broad claims about meeting full demonstrated need, without any discussion of what they actually see as being need. Estimated price calculators can give you a snapshot on a per-college basis, though are not 100% accurate. 

Required Student Payments

Regardless of other scholarship pledges or sources, most colleges have a minimum amount they expect from students, to be sourced from their savings or paid through work done over the summer or during the school year. This amount varies by school, but is generally between $2-4,000. 

Parents can, of course, pay this themselves, but be aware that even if you do receive a generous aid award, there will be some requirement to pay, even if it theoretically rests on the student and not the parent. 

EFC, Aid Calculators, and You

So how then can you determine your own expected family contribution at one of these top colleges? In most cases, these colleges provide a tool for doing exactly that: aid calculators. These are simple programs, where you enter some standard financial and demographic information, and they return a prediction for how much aid you will receive, and how much they will expect you to pay. 

There is an important caveat to this however, namely that these predictions do not necessarily reflect the actual amount of aid you will end up getting from a particular university. Now, this isn’t from an explicit desire to deceive you, but because the amount of information these calculators ask for is far less than they get from a full financial aid application, and the full set of data can greatly change an award.

This is most common in cases which are niche, such as exceptional rare assets, convoluted financial schemas, or an odd mix of trusts and savings accounts. The harder it is to accurately portray your full assets portfolio and financial situation in a calculator, the less reliable it will be. 

That said, using these calculators is still a good way to gain a sense of how much aid you might expect to receive from a certain college. We simply want to caution you not to put too much weight on it, lest you be terribly disappointed. 

Each university also has their own calculations, so you will probably have to do this multiple times. You do not necessarily need to do this for every school you apply to, but if you are especially concerned about how much financial aid you will receive, or affording college entirely, we do recommend this for many of the schools on your list, to see if they are really worth applying to.

Final Thoughts

No matter how expensive college gets, universities still expect you to pay for it, at least to some degree. How much of this they expect varies an extreme amount from college to college and student to student, but there is always a need for students to be aware of this financial obligation. We hope that this article has given you a thorough explanation of this somewhat opaque term, and what colleges may expect of you. 

If you are looking for more personalized advice on finding and applying for financial aid, or any other aspect of the college applications process, then �ԹϹ��� can help. We have a deep understanding of what colleges are looking for, and are well versed in disambiguating a very esoteric process. Schedule a free consultation today to learn more; we’re always happy to hear from you.

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