As you consider colleges and make preparations for college applications, your standardized test scores are often lauded as major determinants of whether or not you're accepted at your college choices. But what is sometimes left out of the discussion is how these scores impact scholarships.
For many colleges, merit scholarships are determined by the same requirements as college applications: GPA, test scores, extracurricular involvement, essays, and letters of recommendation. So essentially, when you're applying to a college, you're also applying for its institutional scholarships, too.
Additionally, there are a number of scholarship opportunities from private or public organizations that ask you to submit your test scores. As you consider taking the test and prepping for exam day, understand that it's not just your college admissions on the line; it's scholarship money as well.
We're highlighting several opportunities within the Fastweb scholarship database that require a certain SAT or ACT score in order to be eligible. However, it should be noted this year that many institutional awards are from colleges that have gone test-optional temporarily. While some of these colleges and universities have verbiage indicating that not submitting test scores will not impact scholarship eligibility, others do not specify.
This year, you need to be your own best advocate and reach out to schools directly to determine whether or not their test-optional policies also extend to merit scholarship distribution. You don't want to learn too late that not submitting test scores made you ineligible for more money to pay for college.
So do your due diligence, contact the schools you're applying to, and ask:
Available to: High School Seniors
Amount: $6,000
The J. L. Bedsole Scholars Program is open to high school seniors who are planning to enroll full - time at a four - year institution in Alabama. You must have a minimum 2.5 GPA, a minimum 21 ACT score, and demonstrate financial need to be eligible for this award. You must also be graduating from a high school in Mobile, Baldwin, Clarke, Monroe, or Washington County; or Sweet Water High School in Marengo County.
Available to: High School Seniors through College Juniors
Amount: $2,500
The Scarlett Family Foundation Scholarship is available to high school seniors and college freshmen, sophomores, and juniors who are graduates of Middle Tennessee high schools. You must be pursuing a degree in business or STEM to be eligible for this award. High school seniors must have a minimum 2.5 GPA and at least a 21 ACT score.
Available to: High School Seniors
Amount: Full-Tuition The 5 Strong Scholarship is available to high school seniors residing in the metropolitan Atlanta or Houston area. You must be planning to attend a partnering HBCU, have a minimum 3.0 GPA, and at least a 19 ACT / 990 SAT score to be eligible for this award.
Available to: High School Seniors through College Freshmen
Amount: $11,000
The Catch A Break! Scholarship Program is open to students who have faced challenges in their lives and learned from them. You must be a resident of Minnesota, have a minimum ACT score of 24, and demonstrate financial need to be eligible for this award.
Available to: High School Seniors
Amount: Varies The Stephen T. Marchello Foundation Scholarship is available to high school seniors who are survivors of childhood cancer. You must be a resident of Colorado or Montana to be eligible for this award. Selection for this award will be based on your high school GPA, SAT/ ACT scores, a reference letter from your doctor, and two letters of recommendation.
Available to: High School Seniors
Amount: $5,000 The STEM Stars – Actuarial Scholars Program is open to college – bound students of color who are majoring in actuarial science. You must have a minimum GPA of 2.8 or a minimum 600 SAT math / 21 ACT score to be eligible for this award. The program includes mentoring, tutoring, immersion experiences, and internship opportunities, along with financial support.
Available to: High School Seniors
Amount: $5,000 The Mikkelson Foundation Scholarship is available to graduating high school seniors in Colorado. You must be planning to study engineering, mathematics, or natural sciences at a four - year college or university. You must have a minimum 3.7 GPA and a minimum 1200 SAT / 28 ACT score to be eligible for this award.
Available to: College Sophomores through College Seniors
Amount: $2,500 The Mike Molino RV Learning Center Scholarship is available to rising sophomore, junior, and senior students. You must be an employee or the dependent of an employee of an RV dealer or an industry related company to be eligible for this award. A minimum 2.8 GPA and at least a 1040 SAT / 22 ACT score is also required.
- Are you test-optional this year?
- Will not submitting test scores impact my merit scholarship eligibility?
- Is there anything special I need to do to indicate that I would like to be considered for merit scholarships?
J. L. Bedsole Scholars Program
Deadline: 11/30/22Available to: High School Seniors
Amount: $6,000
The J. L. Bedsole Scholars Program is open to high school seniors who are planning to enroll full - time at a four - year institution in Alabama. You must have a minimum 2.5 GPA, a minimum 21 ACT score, and demonstrate financial need to be eligible for this award. You must also be graduating from a high school in Mobile, Baldwin, Clarke, Monroe, or Washington County; or Sweet Water High School in Marengo County.
Scarlett Family Foundation Scholarship
Deadline: 12/15/22Available to: High School Seniors through College Juniors
Amount: $2,500
The Scarlett Family Foundation Scholarship is available to high school seniors and college freshmen, sophomores, and juniors who are graduates of Middle Tennessee high schools. You must be pursuing a degree in business or STEM to be eligible for this award. High school seniors must have a minimum 2.5 GPA and at least a 21 ACT score.
5 Strong Scholarship
Deadline: 12/31/22Available to: High School Seniors
Amount: Full-Tuition The 5 Strong Scholarship is available to high school seniors residing in the metropolitan Atlanta or Houston area. You must be planning to attend a partnering HBCU, have a minimum 3.0 GPA, and at least a 19 ACT / 990 SAT score to be eligible for this award.
Catch A Break! Scholarship Program
Deadline: 3/15/23Available to: High School Seniors through College Freshmen
Amount: $11,000
The Catch A Break! Scholarship Program is open to students who have faced challenges in their lives and learned from them. You must be a resident of Minnesota, have a minimum ACT score of 24, and demonstrate financial need to be eligible for this award.
Stephen T. Marchello Foundation Scholarship
Deadline: 3/15/2023Available to: High School Seniors
Amount: Varies The Stephen T. Marchello Foundation Scholarship is available to high school seniors who are survivors of childhood cancer. You must be a resident of Colorado or Montana to be eligible for this award. Selection for this award will be based on your high school GPA, SAT/ ACT scores, a reference letter from your doctor, and two letters of recommendation.
STEM Stars – Actuarial Scholars Program
Deadline: 4/10/23Available to: High School Seniors
Amount: $5,000 The STEM Stars – Actuarial Scholars Program is open to college – bound students of color who are majoring in actuarial science. You must have a minimum GPA of 2.8 or a minimum 600 SAT math / 21 ACT score to be eligible for this award. The program includes mentoring, tutoring, immersion experiences, and internship opportunities, along with financial support.
Mikkelson Foundation Scholarship
Deadline: 4/14/23Available to: High School Seniors
Amount: $5,000 The Mikkelson Foundation Scholarship is available to graduating high school seniors in Colorado. You must be planning to study engineering, mathematics, or natural sciences at a four - year college or university. You must have a minimum 3.7 GPA and a minimum 1200 SAT / 28 ACT score to be eligible for this award.
Mike Molino RV Learning Center Scholarship
Deadline: 7/5/23Available to: College Sophomores through College Seniors
Amount: $2,500 The Mike Molino RV Learning Center Scholarship is available to rising sophomore, junior, and senior students. You must be an employee or the dependent of an employee of an RV dealer or an industry related company to be eligible for this award. A minimum 2.8 GPA and at least a 1040 SAT / 22 ACT score is also required.
