Guaranteed Scholarships in Missouri

If you will be attending a school in Missouri, there are numerous guaranteed scholarships that you need to be aware of. Many of these easy scholarships are awarded based on GPAs and test scores, while many others are based on church affiliations and other criteria. The great thing about a Missouri guaranteed scholarship is that there is no competition for them, and you won’t be subjected to a lengthy decision process or an interview.

At Southeast Missouri State University, you can win a full scholarship that includes tuition, books, room, and board if you are a high school Valedictorian with a score of ACT 30 or SAT 1340 and you are a resident of Missouri. If you are not a resident of Missouri, you will need at least an ACT of 31 or an SAT of 1380. Full tuition will also be paid if you are in the top 10% of your graduating high school class with a score of 27 on the ACT or 1240 on the SAT. $1500 to $2500 is awarded each year to students who rank in the top 20% of their high school class with an ACT score of 24. For more eligibility information at Southeast Missouri State University, visit www.semo.edu.

Southwest Baptist University at www.sbuniv.edu offers numerous guaranteed scholarships to students who have high SAT or ACT scores, high GPAs, and high Class Ranks. These amounts range from $2100 to $3000 and you must have SAT scores between 1090 and 1600, ACT scores between 24 and 36, GPAs between 3.75 and 3.85 and class ranks between 5 and 10%. Additionally, guaranteed scholarship awards are available to students who are studying towards a church related career, in the amount of $2000 per year. $1000 per year is available to children or spouses of full time ministers, and the school will match up to $1000 each year that is awarded to a student by the student’s church.

Southwest Missouri State University, at www.smsu.edu offers $4864 per year to students who are residents of the state, and who rank in the top 10% of their high school class, with an ACT of 28 or an SAT of 1240. Out of state students are also eligible for the same award, but with a higher award amount. $2250 is awarded to students who are in the top 20% of their high school class, with a GPA of 3.6 or higher.

The University of St. Louis, at www.slu.edu offers awards to students who have high scores and who have shown leadership abilities and have a history of community service. These awards range between $4500 and $13000 per year. William Woods University, at www.wmwoods.edu, pays half tuition for children of ordained Christian Church Ministers, and has a legacy award of $1000 for siblings and dependents of previous graduates.

William Woods University at www.williamwoods.edu/services/studentlife/LEAD/index.asp offers up to $5,000 for residential students and $2,500 for commuter students per year for all new full time admitted students who participate in their LEAD program. If the student fulfills their predetermined LEAD-eligible activities during the previous semester then they will continue to recieve these guaranteed scholarships for each semester they attend the university. William Woods University wants all new students to get involved in other activities other then just the classroom.

Another new breed of guaranteed college scholarships available in Missouri as well as in other states are called the SAGE Scholars Program. It’s a Tuition Rewards program in that students are given student scholarships on their tuition based upon the amount of SAGE savings or investments in their name. Sage Reward Points can be thought of as frequent flyer miles used for college tuition only which a student earns by investments through a SAGE Financial Planner. The student normally will receive 5% of what his/her family saved through investments with the SAGE Planner. This 5% is a guaranteed discount off the student’s tuition bill. More and more colleges are signing up with SAGE so as to attract more students to their campuses because of this guaranteed scholarship program. The colleges presently participating in these guaranteed scholarships in Missouri (also inquire at the college you will be attending because more colleges are partnering with SAGE) are:

Avila College
Kansas City Art Institute
Missouri Baptist University
Missouri Valley College
Lindenwood University
William Jewell College

Additional guaranteed college scholarships may be available from these schools and other schools in Missouri which are not listed here. Make sure that you speak to your counselor or financial aid officer to find out what is available, and what you may be eligible for.