There are two common types of financial assistance. One type of assistance is need or eligibility-based financial aid, which is a combination of loans, work-study, and grants; the other is merit scholarship. Need or eligibility awards are based on a family’s demonstrated need and eligibility for assistance, and are administered according to a standard federal or institutional methodology. For more comprehensive information regarding need-based assistance, please visit the Financial Aid section on our web site for further details.

Unlike need or eligibility based assistance, Merit Scholarships consider a student’s academic achievement, talents, leadership and contributions to the school and/or local community. Scholarships come in all shapes and sizes and although criteria vary from one scholarship to the next, eligibility often begins with grade point average and standardized test scores. Other eligibility requirements may include residency, ethnicity and intended major.

Merit Scholarships come from a variety of sources. The most common are college-sponsored scholarships, corporate or non-profit scholarships, government-sponsored scholarships (military academies, state scholarships), and multi-cultural scholarships. College-based merit awards are often granted by the admissions committee at the college, rather than by application on the student's part. Students should research the type of scholarship opportunities granted by any colleges to which they might apply.

Some scholarships are awarded by competition, which means that students should apply by a posted deadline. If a nomination is required, students are welcome to ask the CCO to nominate them for the scholarship. The candidate who meets the published criteria and is the most qualified, will be notified of his or her nomination by the Academy.

Other resources available in the College Office include books outlining the scholarship process as well as requirements for need or eligibility-based aid, foundation-based and college-based awards, and special interest scholarships. Computer software is also available in the CCO, which can assist students in identifying and applying to colleges that grant merit awards. College Counselors may also be consulted for ideas on merit awards. For special interest scholarships: artists and musicians, multi-cultural students, and athletes, students should contact their teachers and appropriate deans for potential scholarship search sites. Students and parents are encouraged to create their profile at Fastweb.com and receive names of scholarships for which they are eligible. College-scholarships.com is another web resource used by Academy students.

Below is a partial summary of the merit scholarship information that has been received by the College Counseling Office. This list is not exhaustive but includes those opportunities that Exeter students have pursued in past years, or have been determined by the CCO as particularly promising opportunities. In addition to the scholarships listed below, a more extensive physical file is maintained in the College Counseling Office. Interested students are encouraged to review scholarship opportunities both listed on the CCO web site and those maintained in the College Counseling Office.

http://college.exeter/published/newsletters/scholarshipseniors107.html

Please contact your counselor if you have additional questions. edolan@exeter.edu, jbobrowskas@exeter.edu, ceinhaus@exeter.edu, kclagett@exeter.edu, pappleton@exeter.edu, gbergill@exeter.edu