RELEASED: Aug. 11, 2005

DANVILLE, KY—As senior year draws near, it's important for prospective students and their parents to keep in mind that when it comes to college cost, the whole package is what's important.

Not only is Centre College highly competitive in terms of cost compared with other colleges of its rank, it also offers a comprehensive program of need-based financial aid.

The final element to be considered, especially for students with strong records of academic and extracurricular achievement, is the extent and range of merit scholarships a college offers.

Centre has a number of appealing options for such students, including two relatively new offerings, the New Horizons and the Bonner Scholarship programs. These scholarships "reflect Centre's commitment to preparing students for a life of meaningful work and service in a diverse world," according to Bob Nesmith, associate director of admission. "We hope these new programs will help reward—and attract to the College —students who have already demonstrated a commitment to these values."

Facts about merit scholarships at Centre

Only one part of the picture
Merit scholarships are not need-based awards and are not the only kind of "gift aid" available. A merit scholarship is often part of a larger financial aid package that includes several other sources of aid. Over two-thirds of our students receive need-based financial aid, with an average award last year of over $17,900.

Applying is simple
All applicants who meet the appropriate deadlines for Early Action or Regular Decision admission are considered for merit awards. There are no additional applications to file. Early Action candidates who win awards are notified in late January. Winners in Regular Decision receive notice in mid-March.

Evaluation is complex
Centre does not use reductive formulas to evaluate candidates. There are no cut-offs. We carefully consider each applicant based on:

• Academic achievement (approximately 65 percent), judged by course selection, grades, rank in class, test scores, essay, recommendations, honors and awards.
  
• Extracurricular and personal accomplishments (~35 percent), gauged by commitment, talent, and balance demonstrated in activities, and personal character as displayed through service, leadership, recommendations, essay, interview, and other personal contact.

Broad program
Typically, about 50 percent of the students in an incoming class will receive a merit scholarship. The table below lists available awards and levels.

Scholarship level amount

• Centre Award $5,000 per year
  
• Founders Scholarship $8,000 per year
  
• Colonel Scholarship $12,000 per year
  
• Faculty Scholarship $15,000 per year
  
• Dean's Scholarship $18,000 per year
  
• President's Scholarship Full tuition

Still competitive
Although academic credentials are not the only factors, successful merit scholarship candidates are usually above-average academically among our incoming freshman. For reference, here are a few characteristics of our most recent scholarship winners:

• ACT scores for the middle 50 percent range from 27 to 31
  
• 69 percent of those with a class rank came from the top 10 percent of their high school class
• 94 percent graduated from the top 25 percent

Strong candidates at all levels must show accomplishments beyond academic achievements.

Fine arts scholarships
Centre's music and drama programs award scholarships of $2,500 and $5,000 per year to talented performers. Students wishing to be considered must make separate applications to the individual departments. Applications, audition dates, and other details are available from the Office of Admission, from music and drama program chairs, and on the Centre website.

Diversity and Service Scholarships
The New Horizons and Bonner Scholarship programs recognize students likely to provide leadership in the areas of diversity and service respectively. In addition to a small scholarship, each award guarantees priority consideration for need-based grants. Candidates must apply for admission and financial aid; Bonner applicants must also file a seperate scholarship application. More information is available from the Office of Admission.

State Match Scholarships
Centre will match state-sponsored merit scholarships for students from Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, South Carolina and Tennessee with equivalent college-sponsored gift aid. However, these awards may be replaced by other Centre merit scholarships with a higher value.

Special programs and outside scholarships
Centre has special scholarship programs for Governor's Scholars, Governor's School for the Arts students, Centre Fellows, and National Merit Finalists; check with the Office of Admission for details. Scholarships sponsored by other agencies or community groups (including Kentucky Educational Excellence Scholarships) will typically be added to your Centre merit scholarship.

For further information about Centre, call 1-800-423-6236 or visit our prospective student page at http://www.centre.edu/web/ps/.

- end -

Founded in 1819, Centre College is ranked among the U.S. News top 50 national liberal arts colleges. Centre alumni, known for their nation-leading loyalty in annual financial support, include two U.S. vice presidents and two Supreme Court justices. For more, visit http://www.centre.edu/web/elevatorspeech/

For news archives go to http://www.centre.edu/web/news/newsarchive.html.

Back to News and Events Home Page