College is expensive, more so every year, especially as the costs of everything seem to be going up lately. This leads students and parents on a search for scholarships, quite understandably, seeking ways to ameliorate these staggering costs. We’ve discussed scholarship opportunities before, and today we’re going to discuss another, one perhaps less well known than some of its peers: the .
This scholarship is somewhat unique, as it is solely based on merit, not need, and it is a full-tuition scholarship. This is something many of the students we work with, and students generally, are looking for. In this article, we’re going to break down how the Posse Scholarship works, how you can apply for it, and whether or not this is a good opportunity for you to pursue. Let’s jump in!
Understanding The Posse Foundation Scholarship
This is a merit-based full-tuition scholarship. The foundation partners with a list of ; the scholarship only provides funding to those universities. Now, this includes a number of elite colleges and universities, everything from Cornell to Texas A&M to the University of Virginia.
Unlike the Questbridge scholarships, the Posse Scholarship is not a university application in and of itself. You apply for the Posse Scholarship and university admissions separately, and they are judged separately. If you are awarded the scholarship, and admitted into the university, then you receive the tuition funding, and the additional programmatic support of the program.
The program provides during the spring of your senior year of high school for students admitted to the program. This is designed to help students bridge the gap between high school and college, and hit the ground running. Once in college, Posse provides additional , primarily through mentorship on campus. Finally, they have the , which gives students development and networking opportunities as they continue through college, with the goal of helping them land a career once they graduate.
The stated goal of the program is to prepare a next generation of leaders, both in public life and in business, and the entire program is built to support students in this. This is quite an advantageous program; while the schools they partner with already have strong student supports, this goes the extra mile, and students in the program often have very impressive results post graduation.
How to Apply for the Posse Scholarship
This scholarship requires that students be nominated for it, either by their school, or by another academic organization. These must specifically be a , though the majority of nominations for these scholarships come through high schools.
Note that in order to be nominated, students must live in or near one of their ; these are spread out across the US, and represent a range of urban areas. This is a unique limiter on this scholarship compared to many others, in that it is geographically limited, but simultaneously has a fairly broad spread. You must also be a US citizen or permanent resident to be nominated for this scholarship.
They do have subsidiary programs for or , but these follow the same nomination process. There is an additional program for ; these students may come from anywhere in the country, but this is only open to post-9/11 US veterans.
For many schools, there is a specific application process to become a nominee. Schools and community organizations only have a certain number of nominations they can make, and thus have their own internal winnowing process before nominating students. These are set by the school or organization in question, and are unconnected to the broader Posse Scholarship. Once these are passed and you are nominated, you can deal with the scholarship directly.
For the scholarship itself, you must complete an online form. This asks about your activities and coursework, and requires you to write an essay. This essay is on leadership; this is unsurprising, since the entire purpose of this program is to identify and nurture the next generation of leaders in this country.
Writing the Posse Essay
When writing this essay, you should focus on a past experience you have had with leadership, be that an official leadership position you have held, or a way in which you have taken on responsibilities in your school or the broader community. You want to highlight what you have done, and why you did it.
Note that this essay should be different from your college application essays. The Posse process works through what they call the . Your essay and application are read by a team, consisting of members of the Posse foundation, and admissions officers from the partner university. Ten students are selected for admission and a scholarship award from each partner university.
Since you are also encouraged to apply to these universities separately from the Posse Scholarship, this leadership essay should be distinct. You can touch on the same activities and experiences, but you should go deeper, and highlight how you demonstrated leadership and gave back to your community through your involvement. The foundation and universities are looking to see your drive, and how you will impact their school for the better should you be admitted.
Posse Access
While your Posse Scholarship is submitted to specific schools, you can also make it more broadly available. All partner schools may then browse this pool of applicants, and see if any match what they’re looking for in students. This is akin to how Questbridge operates, though is distinct, and a scholarship is awarded by the program, regardless of how you are matched with a school.
Is the Posse Scholarship Right for You?
As with all programs, this scholarship has a very specific intended audience. In this case, the main limitation is geographic, with only students in and near certain urban centers being eligible to apply for the scholarship. That said, the fact that this is not a need-based scholarship opens it up to a far wider field of applicants than many similar ones on offer, and makes it quite attractive to many students.
This scholarship is best suited for students who are middle class; those whose parents earn too much to be able to apply for Questbridge, but who will still struggle to afford the high cost of college tuition. Due to the focus on leadership and community impact, this scholarship is also an excellent choice for students who have reasonable grades, but who really stand out through their extracurricular involvements.
While only so many universities are partners with the scholarship, they still represent a remarkably broad cross-section of institutions, certainly enough options that some of them will appeal to you. As there also are no limits on what majors you can apply to, this scholarship is a good option regardless of your intended area of study.
How to Get Nominated
The biggest barrier for this scholarship, especially when compared to Questbridge, is that you must be nominated for it. Most nominations come through schools, so you should begin by seeing whether or not your school has partnered with Posse, and if they have their own internal form or application needed to become a nominee.
Schools can only nominate so many students, so those who do generally have some form of internal selection process. If your school is not already partnered with Posse, it is , but they must take that step to nominate you. If you are interested in this, then you should speak with your counselor early; we advise by no later than the end of your junior year. This gives them time to navigate the forms and system. While it is a straightforward process, it does still take time.
You can also get nominated by community based organizations or by Posse alumni. These are rarer than nominations by schools, but if you are working with a community based organization which is helping you with college applications, or if you are friends with a previous beneficiary of the program, they too can nominate you.
Final Thoughts
Many students look for and need scholarships, especially as the costs associated with college continue to climb. Posse Foundation offers something unique, a lesser version of Questbridge which is open to students in the middle class. We hope that this article has helped you understand the opportunities presented by the Posse Foundation, and whether or not this is a scholarship you should take advantage of.
If you are looking for advice on your college applications, or trying to find the right scholarship opportunities to match your situation, then ³Ô¹Ï¹ÙÍø can help. We have a deep understanding of how college admissions works, and excel at helping students find the right resources to meet their needs. Schedule a free consultation today to learn more about how we can make your life easier, we always love hearing from you.
