When most of us think of college scholarships, we think of academic scholarships. These awards are granted to students for performance over the course of their high school careers. One of the main determinants of award amount is grade point average. Students who place in the top percentile of their graduating classes tend to receive the majority of financial aid, grants, and scholarships.
Academic scholarships are also based on test scores. No matter what standardized test is used in your area, the scores are evaluated for potential scholarships. Many colleges weigh SAT scores above other factors such as grade point average, community service, and student government participation. Many students take SAT prep courses in an effort to increase their overall scores.
One of the most popular academic scholarships comes in the form of the National Merit scholarship. This is a scholarship funded by a non-profit organization that rewards students for academic excellence. In order to qualify for one of these scholarships, you must achieve a certain score on the Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test, or P-SAT.
Achieving academic excellence not only helps you earn money for college, but it also helps to ensure that you get into the school of your dreams. If you make the decision to go for the best schools in the country, you need to accept the fact that the competition is pretty stiff. Not only are you competing for admission to these schools, but you're also competing for a limited amount of scholarship funds. When it comes time to choose between two exceptional students, many schools look at community involvement and extracurricular activities to make their final decisions.