Warrior Scholarship Bulletin - NOVEMBER 2025
Seniors! YIKES!! Where has the time gone? It’s time to start applying to college for the next chapter of your lives! This bulletin covers the first steps in applying to college and scholarships.
Steps in Applying to College:
1. Completely fill out the college application. (Most are online applications.)
2. Request that ACT or SAT send official scores to your school of choice.
3. Sign up at www.parchment.com to have official transcripts sent to your school of choice.
Reminders:
– In order to work on scholarships with your college or university, you may need to have applied and been accepted to the college or university
– Scholarship and Application deadlines for schools may be as early as November 1!
– A FAFSA Completion Workshop will be offered in October 2025. This workshop will be held at the High School in the Media Center with sign-ups coming soon!
10 Tips on Scholarships
1. SEARCH! Persistence is the key to getting a scholarship.
2. Be organized and prioritize.
3. Never assume: Don't believe that because you don't have straight A's and can't shoot a 3 pointer, there's nothing available to you.
4. Identify the goal of the scholarship and double check the eligibility requirements.
5. Be able to write about a variety of topics that may or may not be exciting to you.
6. Understand yourself well enough to create a compelling portrait of who you are. You must understand your audience well enough to be able to position your skills and strengths as deserving of their support. Demonstrate that you are a scholar or would like to be a scholar.
7. Use concrete examples in essays.
8. Watch deadlines like a hawk.
9. Apply early and for many scholarships.
10. Proofread your application one more time.
MOST IMPORTANTLY, DON’T GET SCAMMED!! "If you must pay money to get money, it might be a scam."
These are Six Examples of Possible Scholarship Scams:
1. "This scholarship is guaranteed or your money back."
2. "You can't get this information anywhere else."
3. "May I have your credit card or bank account number to hold this scholarship?"
4. "We'll do all the work."
5. "The scholarship will cost some money."
6. "You've been selected by a 'national foundation' to receive a scholarship.", or "You're a finalist in a contest." (that you never entered)
Seniors! YIKES!! Where has the time gone? It’s time to start applying to college for the next chapter of your lives! This bulletin covers the first steps in applying to college and scholarships.
Scholarship Websites:
1. www.studentscholarships.org
2. www.finaid.org
3. www.mometrix.com - Test Prep
4. www.studentaid.gov
5. www.grants.gov
6. https://www.isac.org/e-library/applying-for-financial-aid/scholarship-searches.html
7. http://act.org
8. www.goingmerry.com
9. www.scholarships.com
10. http://www.fastweb.com/
FREE SCHOLARSHIP RESUME RESOURCE
ResumeTemplates.com offerings a free collection of scholarship-focused resume templates and an accompanying guide. The resource includes expert career advice, ATS-friendly templates, and practical tips to help students present their accomplishments confidently.
Access the free templates here: https://www.resumetemplates.com/scholarship-resume-examples/#download_all_scholarship_resume_templates
NOVEMBER
November 5, 2025 – Application Deadline
Stephen J. Brady STOP Hunger Scholarships—These scholarships recognize and reward students who have made a significant impact in the fight against hunger. The scholarship recipients each receive $10,000 for their education as well as a $5000 grant in their name for the hunger-related charity of their choice. For additional information and application visit website http://us.stop-hunger.org/home/grants.html
November 12, 2025 – Application Deadline
Elks National Foundation Scholarship - Since 1931, the Elks National Foundation has helped students recognize their academic dreams. Each year, we award more than $3 million in college scholarships to at least 850 outstanding, service-minded high school seniors. Once you're an Elks scholar, you're family.
- The Elks National Foundation will award 500 four-year scholarships to the highest-rated applicants in the 2026 competition.
- Male and female students compete separately.
- Ranging from $1,000 per year to $7,500 per year, Most Valuable Student scholarships are for students pursuing a four-year degree, on a full-time basis (minimum of 12 semester hours), in a U.S. college or university. All scholarships are in the form of certificates of award conditional upon the full-time enrollment of the winner in an accredited U.S. college or university. Apply at https://www.elks.org/enf/
November 12, 2025 – Application Deadline
Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Scholarship- The Cooke Foundation College Scholarship Program is the largest undergraduate scholarship program available to high-achieving high school seniors with financial need who seek to attend the nation’s best four-year colleges and universities. In addition to the monetary award, Cooke Scholars receive comprehensive educational advising, significant cohort-based programming, and graduate school funding, as well as a thriving network of nearly 3,200 fellow Cooke Scholars and Alumni. Applicants must meet the following eligibility requirements:
- Senior standing – Complete four years of high school in the U.S., a U.S territory, or on a U.S. military base and plan to graduate in spring 2026.
- Fall College Enrollment – Intend to enroll in an accredited four-year college beginning in fall 2026.
- GPA – Earn a minimum, cumulative unweighted GPA of 3.75 or above.
Apply online at: https://www.jkcf.org/our-scholarships/college-scholarship-program/how-to-apply/
National Society Daughters of the American Revolution- offering the DAR Good Citizens award. This program is intended to encourage and reward the qualities of good citizenship. The scholarship is open to all senior class students. Students must demonstrate qualities of dependability, service, leadership, and patriotism. Applications are available in the guidance office. Applications are accepted November 1, 2025- January 31, 2026. Go to www.dar.orgfor more scholarship info.
DECEMBER
December 1, 2025 – Application Deadline
Ron Brown Scholar Program – This program seeks to identify African-American high school seniors who will make significant contributions to society. Each year 20 students will receive $10,000 annually for four years. For additional information, visit www.ronbrown.org
Southeast Missouri State University 2025-2026 Enhanced Scholarship Program—
- Cooper Dome Scholarship- Freshman academic scholarships are awarded at the time of admission to students who meet the eligibility requirements and apply to Southeast Missouri St by the scholarship deadline. The admission consideration and scholarship guarantee deadline is March 1, 2026 (fall applicants). The value is $500-$5,000 eligible for renewal.
- President’s Scholarship—This renewable scholarship will be awarded to students with a 28 ACT (1300 SAT) and a 4.0 cumulative GPA. The value is $8,000. Apply online at www.semo.edu/apply. Application deadline is March 1, 2026.
UMSL Opportunity Scholars Program—This program focuses on academically gifted first-generation college students who are underrepresented in the work force from certain academic fields. Students who are selected as scholars in the program will be awarded a scholarship to cover their full tuition, fees and books for up to four years. For eligibility and additional information, visit website www.umsl.edu/opportunityscholars . Applicant must complete application for admission, have an ACT score of 26 and a GPA of 3.5 and be admitted to UMSL by December 1, 2025.
JANUARY 2026
January 12, 2026 – Application Deadline
2026 Profile in Courage Essay Contest - This scholarship ranges in awards from $1000-$10,000. Applicants must write an original and creative essay of 1,000 words or less that demonstrates an understanding of political courage as described by John F Kennedy in Profiles in Courage. For complete guidelines, visit the Profile in Courage Essay Contest at: www.jfklibrary.org.
Eastern Illinois University Presidential Scholarship- These scholarships for first-time students are automatically renewable for a total of 4 years (8 semesters). Eligible students are required to maintain full-time consecutive undergraduate enrollment in fall and spring semesters and maintain specific GPA requirements noted below. Recipients must be admitted by August 1; transcripts can be updated through August 19 to qualify for the scholarship or qualify for a higher amount. International undergraduate students on current visas (F1, J1) are not eligible for freshman merit or transfer merit scholarships.
- Distinguished Merit Scholarship GPA – 3.85-4.0 $16,000 ($4000 annually)
- High Achieving Merit Scholarship GPA – 3.60-3.84 $12,000 ($3000 annually)
- Academic Merit Scholarship GPA – 3.0-3.59 $8,000 ($2000 annually)
Apply at https://www.eiu.edu/honors/Freshman_scholarships.php
Coming Soon – Application Deadline
Alton Pride Scholarship - Alton Pride is a charitable and educational organization established to bring awareness, understanding, and advocacy to the LGBTQ+ community with an emphasis on the specific needs of the youth within the community. There are three scholarships to assist in furthering student education by attending a community college, trade school, or
university. Alton Pride has one scholarship for $1000, one for $750, and one for $500. Applications can be picked up in the Guidance Office starting in November!
Various Deadlines 2026 – Application Deadline
NACME is responsible for over $5 million in scholarships awarded annually to underrepresented minority (URM) students. NACME expects to support approximately 1,000 underrepresented minority engineering and computer students annually. To be eligible to be named for any of the NACME administered scholarships students must either be a high school senior applying to an engineering or computer science program at a NACME Partner Institution, or be currently matriculating in an engineering or computer science program at a NACME Partner Institution, a US citizen or permanent resident, and have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0. NACME's mission is to increase representation of Black/African American, Latinx/Hispanic-American and Native/American Indian in the fields of engineering and computer science. To apply go www.nacme.org
* Updated November 26, 2025