The National Merit Scholarship Program is a prestigious scholarship program that awards scholarships to high school students based on their academic achievements and PSAT/NMSQT scores. To be eligible, students must take the PSAT/NMSQT in their junior year of high school and score in the top 1%. More than 1.3 million high school juniors enter the National Merit Scholarship Program each year, and approximately 16,000 students are named Merit Scholar finalists. Of those, about half receive scholarships.
2. Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation
The Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation awards scholarships to high school seniors who are recognized for their academic achievements, leadership skills, and community service. To be eligible, students must have a minimum GPA of 3.0, be in the top 25% of their class, and be involved in extracurricular activities. More than 100,000 students apply for Coca-Cola scholarships each year, and about 150 students are awarded scholarships.
3. Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans
The Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans awards scholarships to high school seniors who have overcome adversity and demonstrated a commitment to community service. To be eligible, students must have a minimum GPA of 2.0 and be in the top 10% of their class. They must also have faced significant financial challenges, such as the death of a parent or divorce. More than 25,000 students apply for Horatio Alger scholarships each year, and about 100 students are awarded scholarships.
4. Elks National Foundation Most Valuable Student Scholarship
The Elks National Foundation Most Valuable Student Scholarship is awarded to high school seniors who are recognized for their academic achievements, leadership skills, and community service. To be eligible, students must have a minimum GPA of 3.0, be in the top 10% of their class, and be involved in extracurricular activities. More than 20,000 students apply for Elks scholarships each year, and about 500 students are awarded scholarships.
5. Gates Millennium Scholars Program
The Gates Millennium Scholars Program awards scholarships to high school seniors who are from minority groups and have demonstrated academic excellence and financial need. To be eligible, students must have a minimum GPA of 3.3, be in the top 10% of their class, and be Pell Grant-eligible. More than 100,000 students apply for Gates scholarships each year, and about 1,000 students are awarded scholarships.