GPA Scholarships

It is not necessary that college scholarships are only to be given if the student’s financial or economic condition isn’t stable. While the scholarship is also like a golden stamp on your academic history. However, getting a scholarship is not as easy as it seems. It requires a lot of potential and effort and where there is hard work there always is a reward so for studying hard.

The decision taken by the scholarship provider to giving out scholarships is truly based on a strong foundation. A foundation that remains a factual question i.e., how well does the candidate fit the program? This is the question that drives the entire decision-making process. They use what is available on paper such as the credentials, GPA, SAT score, essays, and many more.

Most schools will expect a mix between your transcripts, your GPA score (either latest or over a prior of a time), and some kind of standardized test score. And there are many who get more creative with interviews, extracurricular activities, or a very unique personal life or background. Thus, depending on how much weight each of those carries will influence the possible GPA requirement.

Common Sources to Get GPA Scholarships

• Colleges & Universities

• In-State Programs

• Field of Study or Major-based Programs

• Large Scholarship Programs

• Military Branches

Types of Scholarships For Students Who are Scoring Good GPA

There are different types of scholarships, which explains why some scholarships may be awarded to a student based on their grades and another may be awarded to a student for an achievement or an entirely different reason altogether. Three main types of scholarships include, but are not limited to:

• Academic or Merit-based scholarships: Merit-based scholarships are awarded to students based on their student resume, which can include grade point average, extracurricular activity participation, clubs, awards, etc.

• Need-based scholarships: Need-based scholarships are awarded based on a student’s financial needs.

• Race, Ethnicity, or Gender scholarships: Race, ethnicity, or gender are also common attributes scholarships are awarded for.

While these are some common types of scholarships, it’s important to note that scholarships are not only limited to these examples. Scholarships can, and are, awarded for just about anything you can imagine.

GPA Required To Get a Scholarship

It is not that linear. It varies from college to college and scholarship to scholarship. However to get a full-ride scholarship, the scholarship provider looks for a GPA of minimum 3.5 to 3.7 on a scale of 4.0.

Generally, merit scholarships depend on your GPA, your performance on SAT/ACT, often extracurricular activities, recommendations, and application essays. While to get a merit scholarship it is required by the candidate to have a minimum of 3.25 or above. However, the most prestigious universities (e.g., Ivy League) do not award merit scholarships.

Financial aid scholarships are awarded on the basis of completing FAFSA (for US citizens) or it’s equivalent (for international students). However, the most prestigious universities often provide excellent financial support for students from families with modest means.

There are many scholarships for students scoring a GPA of 3.0 and merit scholarships for academic high achievers.

Also, in many US states the students who do very well in high school are awarded scholarships to their state’s college and university system.

5 Steps to Help You Get on the Path to a Full-Ride Scholarship

• Begin your college search early in your high school career.

• Research and decide which colleges you’d like to apply to.

• Boost your chances: Cast a wide net by applying to five or more colleges.

• Keep your grades up: A lot of scholarships require a certain grade point average (GPA) to qualify.

• Build a robust student resume: Get involved in student volunteer and extracurricular activities throughout your high school career. 

Facts: One study found that only 5.9 % of college-bound seniors the following five criteria:

• A high school GPA of 3.5 or higher

• A score of 1100 or higher on the SAT

• A course-taking pattern that included 4 English credits, 3 math credits, 3 science credits, 3 social studies credits, and 2 foreign language credits

• Positive teacher comments

• Participation in two or more school-related extracurricular activities

This means that most college-bound students have GPA scores lower than 3.5 on the 4.0 scale. Most in fact score an average of 3.0.