For students in need of financial support for higher education, scholarships from Alpha Kappa Alpha and its Educational Advancement Foundation (AKAEAF) are a great option. These programs emphasize academic achievement, leadership skills and community service while also alleviating the burden of college expenses. However, many scholarship programs have specific requirements including maintaining a certain GPA and meeting application deadlines.
Merit-Based Undergraduate Scholarships
As college becomes increasingly expensive, merit scholarships are becoming a great way to make the cost more manageable. Merit-based aid is based on students’ academic achievements or talent in certain areas, such as art, music, or athletics. They are not based on financial need and can be awarded to anyone who meets the criteria, regardless of income level.
Colleges are competing with each other to attract the best students, and they often offer merit scholarships as a way to differentiate themselves from their peers. Students can apply for merit scholarships from colleges, universities, non-profits, local businesses, or even their parents’ employers. Students must be able to demonstrate their eligibility by providing a FAFSA, which details their family’s financial situation. The award amounts vary, but a scholarship of any size is worth applying for.
Students can earn scholarships by submitting applications that include letters of recommendation, an essay, and other relevant materials. The competition for merit-based aid is stiff, and students should start preparing for the application process as soon as possible to ensure that they can submit strong applications by the required deadlines. It’s also important to keep in mind that many scholarships require students to maintain specific grades or activities to remain eligible for the award.
The Alpha Kappa Alpha Educational Advancement Foundation offers a wide range of scholarships that are both merit- and need-based. Some of these awards are specific to certain majors or fields of study, while others have more general requirements such as community service or leadership. The foundation also outlines a number of scholarships for undergraduate and graduate students, as well as for community college and career school students.
Community Assistance Awards
Community service is a key component of many AKAEAF scholarships, supporting both academic pursuits and rewarding active involvement. Some scholarship programs require certain GPA minimums and specific community engagement, while others may have application deadlines and/or support documentation requirements like recommendations, transcripts, personal statements or essays. The Rho Zeta Omega chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha supports college-bound students with its #CAP program by providing financial assistance and other resources.
The Alpha Kappa Alpha Educational Advancement Foundation offers a variety of scholarships, including merit-based, need-based and legacy awards. These scholarships are designed to help smart girls pay for college, focusing on both academic achievement and financial need. Merit-based scholarships emphasize academic excellence, while need-based and legacy scholarships focus on family ties and demonstrated community service.
Merit-Based Graduate Scholarships
Anyone who has ever considered going back to school for a master’s degree knows how expensive it can be. Between tuition, books and living expenses, a graduate degree can easily cost $100,000 or more. For many people, taking on that much student debt just isn’t feasible.
That’s where scholarships come in. Scholarships are free money that universities or organizations award to students based on their achievements, potential and/or other university activities. The key difference between financial aid and scholarships is that you don’t have to pay back a scholarship, even if you drop out of school or change your major.
There are a number of searchable online databases that can help prospective and current graduate students find outside scholarships. Students should stick to these reputable sites and avoid paid services that claim to offer scholarships.
Graduate departments often offer generous merit-based scholarships for incoming students. These scholarships can be awarded without an additional application and are based on departmental criteria. Incoming students should review the application requirements and deadlines for their program and check with their department to see what scholarships they are offering.
Scholarship committees look for applicants who are unique and stand out from the crowd. Providing specific examples of your community involvement, academic accomplishments and other activities that set you apart from other applicants can boost your chances of winning a merit-based scholarship.
Graduate programs often require applicants to submit standardized test scores from the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT). The higher your score on these tests, the more competitive you are as a scholarship candidate. Similarly, universities may ask students to write an essay or statement of purpose that evaluates their strengths and reasons for applying to their graduate program.
Financial Need Scholarships
Financial need scholarships are intended to make college more affordable for students from low income families. These scholarships determine eligibility based on your family’s income and assets, as well as other factors such as the number of dependents in your household. Many of these scholarships are determined by filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), which is used by all colleges to award financial aid. Those with demonstrated financial need receive the most aid, since their Expected Family Contribution (EFC) is lower than the school’s cost of attendance (CoA).
In order to apply for these scholarships, you will need to submit your FAFSA report along with supporting documents such as tax returns and paycheck stubs. Many of these scholarships also require an essay that explains your financial circumstances. Be sure to carefully review all of the requirements and double-check your documentation before submitting it.
Scholarships for students with a high GPA and exceptional test scores are called merit scholarships. The committees that review these scholarships look at your academic achievements and other criteria such as community service and extracurricular activities. These scholarships are often offered by nonprofit organizations, private companies and your local government. Some colleges and universities also offer merit scholarships for their best students.
The main difference between merit and need based scholarships is that merit scholarships are not based on your family’s financial status. You can qualify for merit scholarships even if your family’s income is above the limit of what a college defines as financial need. You may need to explain this in the scholarship essay, which should be concise and explains how your academic achievements and other criteria will help you make a difference in the world.
Legacy Scholarships
While it may seem a little too good to be true, there are scholarships out there that are awarded just for having a family member who went to a particular school. These are called legacy scholarships, and they can be a big help to families who have been struggling to pay for college.
In order to qualify for a legacy scholarship, you must have a parent, stepparent, aunt, uncle or grandparent who graduated from your chosen college. However, not all colleges offer legacy scholarships, and some only give them to students who meet certain GPA requirements. It’s important to check with your college’s alum association to find out about their legacy scholarships.
Some of the most prestigious schools in the country offer legacy scholarships to incoming freshmen. For example, the University of Virginia offers a $5,000 award to incoming students whose parents or guardians earned a degree from UVA. Other schools have more flexible requirements, such as the Heroes’ Legacy Scholarship, which is awarded to incoming students who lost a parent in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
The Legacy Scholars program offers up to 62 credit hours of tuition, fees and books for Kellogg Community College or an approved trade school or registered apprenticeship program. The scholarship is open to graduates of Battle Creek Public Schools, Lakeview School District and Calhoun Community High School, and students must start their schooling in eighth grade or below to receive full consideration and ninth or tenth for a reduced award. The Legacy Scholars program is easy to apply for and has no high school GPA requirement or essay, and it’s free from last-dollar restrictions so that students can use their award in addition to other financial aid sources like Pell Grants.