Scholarships based on merit take into consideration more than a student's grade point average or his or her heritage. They provide an opportunity for students who demonstrate qualities admired by a certain organization to show who they are and why they deserve some extra financial assistance for college.
One such example for high school seniors in Nebraska is the Student of Integrity Award Scholarship. The $2,000 scholarship is awarded to three deserving students and is sponsored by the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and named for Scott Mecham.
For more information, please contact BBB Communications Director Margo Riekes at 402-898-8526 or 800-649-6814, #8526.
Nebraska high school seniors are involved in a wide variety of after-school activities and extracurricular activities that may qualify them for scholarships.
For example, students who have participated in broadcasting classes or clubs and who have an interest in pursuing broadcasting in college may be eligible for the Nebraska Broadcasters Association Foundation Student Scholarship Program. This $1,500 scholarship is awarded annually to two students who want to study broadcasting in college.
For exact requirements visit the Nebraska Broadcasters Association's website (ne-ba.org) and fill out an application.
The majority of Nebraska high school seniors participate in some form of high school athletic competition. Baseball, basketball, football, cheerleading, wrestling, even golf and bowling all can be played at the collegiate level and all have the opportunity to qualify a student for an athletic scholarship.
Almost all Division One and Division Two level colleges and universities offer athletic scholarships (most notable exceptions include all Ivy League colleges and universities). The first step is for the high school senior or his parents to contact the desired college or university's athletic department to find out if the student's particular sport is offered at the scholarship level and, if so, how much aid can be provided. Most major sports (football, basketball, baseball) offer full athletic scholarships, while some of the smaller, less known sports (volleyball, tennis, soccer) can offer full or partial scholarships depending on the school.