Automatic Scholarships are Guaranteed Aid

Automatic scholarships are guaranteed student financial aid assistance and represent an excellent opportunity for prospective college students to significantly reduce the cost to obtain a higher education. There are numerous colleges and universities around the country that offer automatic merit scholarships of varying amounts based on an applicant’s performance on the SAT or Act and their grade point average.

Auburn University is one such school. Applicants who score between a 34 and 36 on the ACT or a 1490-1600 on the SAT and have a minimum 3.5 grade point average can receive the Presidential Scholarship. This guaranteed scholarship has a total value of $60,000 over a period of four years. The scholarship also includes a $1,000 technology allowance during the first fall semester as well as an invitation to participate in University Honors College. The Heritage Scholarship at Auburn requires a 1360-1480 SAT score or a 31-33 ACT score and a 3.5 minimum GPA. The value of this scholarship is $40,000 over four years. The Auburn Charter Scholarship requires a score of 29-30 on the Act or 1290-1350 on the SAT and a minimum 3.5 GPA. This automatic scholarship has a value of $5,000 per year over four years.

The University of Alabama has also become well-known for offering assured scholarships or guaranteed merit scholarships. Students with a minimum 30 ACT score or 1330 SAT score (critical reading and math scores only) and at least a 3.5 GPA will qualify for full in-state tuition for a total of four years. Students who have a minimum score of 28 on the ACT or 1250 on the SAT (math and critical reading scores only) and a minimum GPA of 3.5 will receive a scholarship of $14,000 over four years. Applicants to Alabama who have at least a 1210 on the SAT or 27 on the ACT and at least a 3.5 GPA will receive a scholarship of $1,500 per year for four years. Alabama also offers assured scholarships for out-of-state students as well. Out-of-state students must have a minimum ACT score of 32 or SAT score of 1400 and a 3.5 GPA to qualify for full out-of-state tuition. Out-of-state students with a SAT score of 1330 or ACT score of 30 and a 3.5 GPA will qualify for a scholarship valued at two-thirds tuition for four years. Students applying from out of state with a SAT score of 1250 or an ACT score of 28 and a 3.5 GPA will receive $3,500 per year for four years. Students with a SAT score of 1210 or an ACT score of 27 and a 3.5 GPA will receive $1,500 per year for four years.

In addition, applicants to the University of Alabama who are National Achievement Finalists or National Merit recipients will qualify for a scholarship worth the value of tuition over four years, four years of on-campus housing with the possibility of honors housing, a $1,000 per year National Merit or National Achievement scholarship for a period of four years, a one-time allowance for international study or summer research worth $2,000 and a laptop.

Grand Valley State University, located in Michigan, also offers merit guaranteed scholarships. This school is particularly generous with out-of-state applicants. The Awards for Excellence scholarship for non-Michigan residents has a value of $5,800 and is renewable for four years. To qualify for this scholarship applicants must attend Grand Valley immediately following high school graduation and must have a minimum grade point average of 3.5. Applicants must also have an 1190 SAT combined score on the math and critical reading combined or a 26 composite ACT score.

The school also offers the Faculty Scholarship Award of Distinction to both residents and non-residents. The amount of this automatic scholarship varies from $500 to $3,000 and is renewable for four years. Applicants must have a 3.6 GPA, a minimum SAT 1300 score for non-residents or 29 composite ACT score for Michigan residents. Students who receive this scholarship will also receive an Award for Excellence scholarship. An additional award of up to $2,000 is granted to students who are National Merit Finalists.