Scholarships for the Solid 'B' and Even 'C' Student

Students often fail to pursue scholarships because they believe only the most exceptional applicants receive them. The truth is that you do not have to be a straight “A” student to earn financial support in the form of a “merit” scholarship. In fact, the amount of merit money available to college applicants is truly astonishing and much of that money is going to solid “B” and even “C” students.

By definition, consideration of academic talent and performance are factors in the allocation of merit money. But the level of achievement required to win these scholarships may surprise you.

The following are scholarship examples from Wingate University, near Charlotte, NC:

Weighted GPA	+	SAT (2400 scale) or ACT	=	Estimated Scholarship Amount
2.9		1250 or 18		$6,000
3.1		1375 or 20		$11,000
3.5		1550 or 23		$12,000
3.9		1875 or 28		$16,000
4.2+		1950+		$17,000

Or consider the Lynchburg College scholarship scale:

Weighted GPA	+	SAT (1600 scale)	=	Estimated Scholarship Amount
2.50		1000		$3000
2.75		1060		$9000
3.0		1000		$9000
3.25		1040		$10,000
3.50		1000		$10,000
3.50		1060		$11,000
3.25		1190		$12,000
3.50		1100		$12,000

Some merit scholarships are based on criteria other than academic performance such as pursuit of a major or membership in an organization. For example, Hood College awards $10,000 for membership in the National Honor Society. And George Mason University offers a scholarship through the Association of Old Crows for a student majoring in electronics or electrical engineering. Who knew?

Student leadership is typically honored and much merit money is set aside for those high school students who have been leaders in their communities. The Canon Leadership Scholarship at Christopher Newport University offers $20,000 to 25 students who demonstrate excellence in leadership, scholarship, and service. Richmond University offers 25 Bonner Scholarships to students with demonstrated commitment to service. For these programs, commitment usually trumps GPA.

Colleges differ in terms of paperwork requirements for merit scholarship awards. Because some require separate applications, it’s wise to thoroughly review individual scholarship and/or financial aid web pages for details. If a separate application is required, note the deadlines, as they may be different from admissions deadlines.

It's never too early to begin exploring the availability of merit scholarships. A good place to begin your investigation is MeritAid.com, which maintains a comprehensive web-based directory of merit scholarships from colleges across the country. Think of merit scholarships as “discounts” on the sticker price of a college education. And these days, almost no one pays sticker.