Midwest Colleges with Scholarships for a 2.5 GPA
The Midwest can still offer real college options for students with a 2.5 GPA — but the strategy is different here. Instead of relying on flexible admissions or large automatic merit grids, families often do better by focusing on tuition discounts, reciprocity, guaranteed admission thresholds, and colleges where the starting price is already more manageable.
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What this means: At a 2.5 GPA, the Midwest is usually less about chasing a big merit scholarship and more about finding colleges where pricing works in your favor from the beginning.
Important context: This page focuses on colleges in the Midwest where a 2.5 GPA may still put your student in range for scholarship opportunities, reduced tuition, or workable pricing paths. Some awards are automatic, some are competitive, and some savings come through reciprocity or special tuition programs rather than traditional scholarships.
How the Midwest Treats a 2.5 GPA
Colleges across the Midwest — particularly regional public universities in states like Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, and South Dakota — often use more structured pricing and scholarship systems than schools in other regions. That means GPA cutoffs tend to matter more for automatic merit.
In plain English, a 2.5 GPA often puts a student right near an important line. It may fall just below the cleanest merit scholarship threshold, but it can still be high enough for admission, special pricing programs, or lower-cost public options that make college affordable.
CRP Insight: In the Midwest, affordability often comes from pricing structure more than scholarship branding. A reduced tuition rate, guaranteed admission path, or promise program can matter more than a small merit award.
That is why a Midwest strategy at this GPA usually needs to focus less on “How do we win a big award?” and more on “Which colleges give us the best starting price and the clearest path?”
What to Expect at a 2.5 GPA
At this GPA range, the biggest challenge in the Midwest is that many colleges reserve their cleanest automatic merit tiers for students with slightly stronger numbers. But that same 2.5 GPA can still be a meaningful threshold for admissions, state programs, or reduced tuition opportunities.
- Admissions may still be realistic at many regional public universities and less selective campuses.
- Automatic merit is often more limited because many scholarship grids begin at a 3.0 GPA.
- A 2.5 GPA can still be an important cutoff for guaranteed admission or special state-based affordability programs.
- Reciprocity and tuition discounts matter more in this region than many families realize.
- Strong test scores can still help at colleges that use scores to improve admissions or merit consideration.
Reality check: In the Midwest, the smartest play at a 2.5 GPA is often to find a college with a better pricing model, not wait for a giant scholarship to rescue the offer.
Reciprocity Strategy: Why MSEP Matters
One of the Midwest’s biggest affordability levers is the Midwest Student Exchange Program (MSEP). Instead of relying only on scholarships, some families reduce costs by targeting out-of-state colleges that agree to charge lower tuition through reciprocity.
MSEP strategy: A reduced tuition rate can sometimes be more valuable than a small scholarship. If a college participates in reciprocity, the family may start with a lower price before merit aid is even added.
This matters even more at a 2.5 GPA, because it gives families another affordability lever when automatic merit is thin. In some cases, reciprocity pricing can bring the cost much closer to in-state tuition.
Just remember: reciprocity is not universal across every Midwest college or every state. That is why families should treat it as one tool in the pricing toolbox — not the only one.
Midwest Pricing Moves Parents Miss
The Midwest has a few affordability moves that parents often miss because they do not always show up as a traditional scholarship line item. This is where the region can quietly become much more attractive for a 2.5 GPA student.
Midwest Pricing Cheat Sheet
- Border-state pricing: Some public universities offer in-state or near-in-state tuition to students from neighboring states, even when they do not rely on a merit scholarship grid.
- Guaranteed admission thresholds: In some Midwest systems, a 2.5 GPA can be enough for assured admission if the student meets the core requirements. That does not guarantee the best scholarship, but it can remove a lot of uncertainty.
- Promise and last-dollar programs: Some colleges or states use a 2.5 GPA as part of the eligibility formula for tuition coverage or last-dollar aid. In those cases, the biggest win may come from a grant program, not a merit award.
Pro tip: If your student lives near a state border, always check whether a nearby public university offers special resident pricing. That kind of tuition break can matter more than a small scholarship.
This is the real Midwest advantage: sometimes the most useful financial aid is the kind that lowers the starting price before a scholarship is ever added.
Strategy for a 2.5 GPA in the Midwest
At a 2.5 GPA, the goal in the Midwest is not to assume every college will “work with you.” This region tends to reward families who understand the rules, check the pricing details carefully, and focus on colleges where the total cost already makes sense.
Key insight: In the Midwest, a cleaner tuition bill can matter more than a flashy scholarship headline. Sometimes the best-value college is the one with reciprocity, a promise program, or a lower baseline cost.
- Prioritize colleges with manageable baseline costs. This matters more when automatic merit is limited.
- Check reciprocity first. MSEP and other regional discounts can change the math quickly.
- Look for pricing programs that bypass merit grids. Border-state tuition deals and promise programs can be more valuable than small merit awards.
- Use test scores strategically. A good ACT or SAT can still improve outcomes at schools that consider scores.
- Do not rely on vague merit language. If a college says “up to” a certain amount, treat that as uncertain until you see how awards are actually structured.
- Compare the real net price. A smaller award at a cheaper school often beats a larger award at a higher-cost campus.
Tip: If your student can raise test scores, this region still has colleges where a stronger ACT or SAT can improve merit consideration even when the GPA is below the cleanest cutoff.
Student Scenarios: What This Looks Like in Real Life
The Midwest can produce very different outcomes depending on whether a student qualifies for reciprocity, falls on the right side of an admissions threshold, or needs a lower starting price more than a traditional merit award.
The Cutoff Problem
2.5 GPA + no major score boost: This student often sits just below the cleanest automatic merit tiers. The best strategy is usually to focus on colleges with lower costs and clearer pricing.
The Pricing Play
2.5 GPA + reciprocity or border-state access: This is where Midwest strategy gets interesting. A tuition discount can sometimes create more value than a small scholarship.
The Test Score Boost
2.5 GPA + stronger ACT/SAT: Some colleges will still respond positively to this profile, especially if scores improve admissions strength or merit consideration.
The Public/Private Gap
2.5 GPA + private college option: Some smaller private colleges may still offer institutional discounts to bring the price closer to a public university. It is worth comparing the final net price instead of assuming private always means unaffordable.
Scholarship Matches
Based on a 2.5 GPA | Midwest Region
Showing Merit Scholarship Opportunities
These are colleges in the Midwest where a 2.5 GPA may still put your student in range for scholarship opportunities. Some savings may come through reciprocity, pricing programs, or institutional aid rather than a traditional merit scholarship alone.
Important: Some of the best financial outcomes in this region may come from reduced tuition or special pricing arrangements, not from the biggest scholarship label.
Scholarship Matches
Based on a GPA 2.5 | Midwest profile. Institutions with actionable merit aid identified.
Colleges Listed
26
Total institutions with matching merit programs.
Showing all Scholarship results. These are colleges where your GPA puts you in range for real scholarship opportunities — including automatic, competitive, and honors-based awards For more information on each college, click to view the full scholarship breakdown.
Important: Some scholarships listed as “automatic” may still depend on application timing, funding limits, or test scores for the highest award levels. Use the details on each college to understand how predictable the offer really is.
🏛️ Oakland University
AWARD VARIESGPA 2.5+ MI
●Automatic
Predictable tier-based criteria
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How This Is Awarded
→ Non-Resident Award
GPA: 2.50 | Ends: March 1 for fall; Dec 1 for winter; July 1 for summer.
Strategic Note: Any out-of-state student — including eligible Canadian and Mexican permanent residents — with at least a 2.5 GPA who commits to living on campus for their first two years. The GPA bar is low by design; OU wants out-of-state enrollment and this award is their most powerful recruitment tool for non-Michigan students.
🏛️ University of Nebraska at Omaha
AWARD VARIESGPA 2.5+ NE
●Automatic
Predictable tier-based criteria
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How This Is Awarded
→ Transfer Success Scholarship
GPA: 2.50 | Ends: Admission-based; rolling consideration while funding is available.
Strategic Note: Transfer students from community colleges or four-year institutions who meet the minimum GPA and credit requirements and apply while funds remain. The bar is intentionally accessible — UNO wants transfer students to succeed, and this award is part of that welcome.
🏛️ Bellarmine University
AWARD VARIESGPA 2.5+ KY
●Automatic
Predictable tier-based criteria
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How This Is Awarded
→ Transfer: Silver Scholarship
GPA: 2.00 | Ends: Rolling; awarded with transfer admission based on completed application and transcript review.
Strategic Note: Transfer students from accredited colleges with at least a 2.0 transfer GPA who enroll full time. The better the transfer record, the more likely the student is to receive a stronger offer, but Bellarmine does not publish a fixed dollar grid.
+ 3 more qualifying scholarships available.
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🏛️ Fort Hays State University
$12,200 / YRGPA 2.5+ KS
●Automatic
Predictable tier-based criteria
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How This Is Awarded
→ Special Out-of-State (SOS) Scholarship
GPA: 2.50 | Ends: Rolling; submit documentation as early as possible prior to the start of the academic year.
Strategic Note: First-time, full-time on-campus freshmen who graduated from a California or Florida high school with at least a 2.5 GPA and complete the quick SOS scholarship form. This award is a big deal — $12,200 per year ($48,800 over four years) essentially prices FHSU like a local school for CA and FL students.
+ 2 more qualifying scholarships available.
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🏛️ University of Wisconsin Oshkosh
$7,914 / YRGPA 2.5+ WI
●Automatic
Predictable tier-based criteria
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How This Is Awarded
→ Titan National Scholar (Non-Resident)
GPA: 2.50 | Ends: Rolling with admission
Strategic Note: Virtually every admitted out-of-state freshman (excluding Minnesota residents, international students, and online/specialty program students) who has at least a 2.5 unweighted high school GPA. There's no application to submit and no cap on the number of recipients — if you qualify academically, you're in.
🏛️ Chicago State University
$6,000 / YRGPA 2.5+ IL
●Automatic
Predictable tier-based criteria
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How This Is Awarded
→ AIM High Merit Scholarship
GPA: 2.50 | ACT: 18 | SAT: 960 | Ends: Follows CSU admission and FAFSA filing timelines for the award year
Strategic Note: Illinois-resident first-time freshmen who graduated from an Illinois high school, have an unweighted cumulative GPA of 2.50 or higher, scored at least an 18 on the ACT or 960 on the SAT, meet household income limits, and enroll full-time in a bachelor's program at CSU. This is an automatic review — no extra application needed beyond FAFSA and admission.
🏛️ Western Illinois University
$3,000 / YRGPA 2.5+ IL
●Automatic
Predictable tier-based criteria
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How This Is Awarded
→ Undergraduate Regional Diversity Scholarship
GPA: 2.50 | Ends: Scholarship guarantee deadline is August 1 for fall entry and January 1 for spring entry, consistent with all WIU international scholarship policies. Students admitted after these dates are reviewed based on available funding.
Strategic Note: Incoming international undergraduates from underrepresented countries in South and Southeast Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean who are fully admitted to a WIU degree program, enroll full time, and have a 2.5 or higher GPA at entry. The lower GPA threshold makes this one of the more accessible automatic awards WIU offers to international students.
🏛️ Southern Illinois University Carbondale
$1,500 / YRGPA 2.5+ IL
●Automatic
Predictable tier-based criteria
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How This Is Awarded
→ Transfer Maroon Scholarship
GPA: 2.00 | Ends: Rolling — awarding begins in September for Fall admits and October for Spring admits; continues until funds are exhausted.
Strategic Note: Admitted transfer students with at least 12 transferable credit hours and a 2.0–2.99 cumulative transfer GPA who enroll while funds remain. Note the renewal bar (3.0 SIU GPA) is higher than the entry bar — incoming students should plan for that jump.
🏛️ Purdue University Fort Wayne
$750 / YRGPA 2.5+ IN
●Automatic
Predictable tier-based criteria
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How This Is Awarded
→ Purdue Fort Wayne Scholarship — Transfer Tier 3
GPA: 2.50 | Ends: Rolling admissions; enrollment deposit due by June 1 and final transcript deadline Aug 18 for fall entry.
Strategic Note: Admitted transfer students (any residency) with a 2.5–2.99 cumulative GPA from their most recent college or university.
+ 2 more qualifying scholarships available.
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Strategic Note: Based on your stats, you also strongly qualify to compete for the Competitive & Hidden Gem awards below. These require holistic review or a separate application.
🏛️ Indiana State University
AWARD VARIESGPA 2.5+ IN
●Elite Selection
Top 1–2% / Interview / Highly Restrictive
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How This Is Awarded
→ Creative and Performing Arts Award
GPA: 2.50 | Ends: April 1 (admission and application)
Strategic Note: Incoming freshmen with strong audition, portfolio, or interview performance in Art & Design, Music, Creative Writing, or Theater. Candidates must be planning to major or minor in the relevant field — with the exception of Music, where non-music majors committed to large ensembles for eight semesters may also be considered. Each department sets its own number of awards.
🏛️ Bellarmine University
AWARD VARIESGPA 2.5+ KY
●Hidden Gem
Holistic review / Not guaranteed
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How This Is Awarded
→ Alumni Legacy Scholarships
GPA: 2.50 | Ends: February 1 application deadline for Alumni Legacy Scholarship consideration.
Strategic Note: Entering first-year legacy students who submit the extra alumni scholarship application and stand out through essays, involvement, academics, and fit with the alumni board's review. This is not automatic legacy money; only a small group is selected.
+ 2 more qualifying scholarships available.
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🏛️ Butler University
FULL TUITIONGPA 2.5+ IN
●Hidden Gem
Holistic review / Not guaranteed
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How This Is Awarded
→ Army & Air Force ROTC
GPA: 2.50 | Ends: Army ROTC national board deadlines typically run through early March; Air Force ROTC high school scholarship applications generally close by late October; campus-based deadlines vary.
Strategic Note: Students who meet Army or Air Force ROTC academic, physical, and leadership standards and commit to officer commissioning, including many STEM and pre-health majors.
🏛️ Bowling Green State University
FULL TUITIONGPA 2.5+ OH
●Hidden Gem
Holistic review / Not guaranteed
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How This Is Awarded
→ Army ROTC (Falcon Battalion) Scholarship
GPA: 2.50 | Ends: Varies (rotc.army.mil deadlines)
Strategic Note: ROTC-committed students passing medical, academic, and physical fitness requirements
+ 3 more qualifying scholarships available.
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🏛️ Kent State University
FULL TUITIONGPA 2.5+ OH
●Hidden Gem
Holistic review / Not guaranteed
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How This Is Awarded
→ Army ROTC Scholarship
GPA: 2.50 | Ends: Varies (early deadlines, Oct–Dec typical)
Strategic Note: Strong academics, leadership, and physical fitness; early applicants have better odds
🏛️ Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
FULL TUITIONGPA 2.5+ IL
●Competitive
Holistic review / Not guaranteed
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How This Is Awarded
→ CODES Scholarship (Community-Oriented Digital Engagement Scholars)
GPA: 2.50 | Ends: March 31
Strategic Note: First-year domestic students who are Pell-eligible, first-generation, or historically underrepresented in their major — and who are committed to community-based research and civic engagement through the CODES alternative general education pathway.
🏛️ Illinois State University
FULL TUITIONGPA 2.5+ IL
●Hidden Gem
Holistic review / Not guaranteed
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How This Is Awarded
→ Army ROTC Scholarships & State Tuition Waivers
GPA: 2.50 | Ends: Service/program deadlines
Strategic Note: Cadets, eligible members of IL National Guard, veterans, military families; selection based on service/merit
🏛️ University of Missouri Kansas City
FULL TUITIONGPA 2.5+ MO
●Hidden Gem
Holistic review / Not guaranteed
Get the Game Plan →
How This Is Awarded
→ Air Force ROTC Scholarship
GPA: 2.50 | Ends: Jan 9
Strategic Note: Students who meet AFROTC criteria, academic and leadership standards, and complete service commitment.
+ 2 more qualifying scholarships available.
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🏛️ Creighton University
FULL RIDEGPA 2.5+ NE
●Hidden Gem
Holistic review / Not guaranteed
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How This Is Awarded
→ Army & Air Force ROTC + Creighton Room & Board Supplement
GPA: 2.50 | Ends: Army ROTC high school scholarship boards typically run Oct–Jan; Air Force ROTC high school scholarship applications generally close in the fall or early winter.
Strategic Note: Competitive ROTC cadets with strong academics, leadership, and physical fitness who earn national Army or Air Force ROTC scholarships and enroll at Creighton, especially in high-need majors like nursing.
+ 2 more qualifying scholarships available.
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🏛️ University of North Dakota
FULL TUITIONGPA 2.5+ ND
●Hidden Gem
Holistic review / Not guaranteed
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How This Is Awarded
→ Army & Air Force ROTC Scholarships
GPA: 2.50 | ACT: 19 | Ends: Dec 1 – Jan 15 (varies by branch)
Strategic Note: Physically fit students with leadership potential; 2.5+ GPA and ACT 19+
🏛️ University of Wisconsin Oshkosh
FULL RIDEGPA 2.5+ WI
●Competitive
Holistic review / Not guaranteed
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How This Is Awarded
→ Community Enrichment Scholarship
GPA: 2.00 | Ends: Early February
Strategic Note: Incoming freshmen who genuinely care about their communities, have a documented track record of service and involvement, and can articulate a clear vision for how they'll use their education to give back. The GPA floor is a generous 2.0 — this is a character and impact scholarship, not a pure merit award. Financial need matters here too.
🏛️ DePaul University
FULL TUITIONGPA 2.5+ IL
●Hidden Gem
Holistic review / Not guaranteed
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How This Is Awarded
→ Army ROTC Scholarships
GPA: 2.50 | Ends: High school national boards typically run Oct–Jan; campus-based scholarships are awarded on a rolling basis.
Strategic Note: Students who commit to commissioning as Army officers, meet academic and fitness standards, and are selected by national or campus-based ROTC boards.
🏛️ University of Nebraska at Omaha
$13,000 / YRGPA 2.5+ NE
●Hidden Gem
Holistic review / Not guaranteed
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How This Is Awarded
→ Nebraska Career Scholarship
GPA: 2.50 | Ends: Typically February–April; dates vary by track and year
Strategic Note: Nebraska residents majoring in high-demand STEM, IT, engineering, healthcare, or math fields who maintain solid academic progress and complete a Nebraska-based experiential learning requirement.
🏛️ Saint Louis University
$10,000 / YRGPA 2.5+ MO
●Hidden Gem
Holistic review / Not guaranteed
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How This Is Awarded
→ Dr. Donald M. Suggs Scholarship
GPA: 2.50 | Ends: Jun 1
Strategic Note: Current SLU students — not freshmen — with 30+ earned SLU credit hours, a 2.5 GPA, a real history of service to underrepresented racial or ethnic communities, and demonstrated financial need. Preference is given to students from the greater St. Louis metro area. Two students receive this award per year.
🏛️ Fort Hays State University
$5,000 / YRGPA 2.5+ KS
●Hidden Gem
Holistic review / Not guaranteed
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How This Is Awarded
→ Robert N. Munsell Pre-Engineering Scholarship
GPA: 2.00 | Ends: Typically follows the university scholarship cycle; refer to Physics scholarship flyer and FHSU portal for current dates.
Strategic Note: Up to two full-time, on-campus students in the Werth College of Science, Technology, and Mathematics, preferably pre‑engineering majors, who meet department qualifications and donor intent.
🏛️ North Dakota State University
$4,000 / YRGPA 2.5+ ND
●Hidden Gem
Holistic review / Not guaranteed
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How This Is Awarded
→ ND Native American Scholarship + Match
GPA: 2.00 | Ends: Jul 15 (state application)
Strategic Note: ND tribal members maintaining required GPA and/or demonstrating need.
🏛️ Southeast Missouri State University
$2,000 / YRGPA 2.5+ MO
●Hidden Gem
Holistic review / Not guaranteed
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How This Is Awarded
→ Marching Band Scholarship
GPA: 2.00 | Ends: Band schedule and audition timelines; typically aligned with fall participation.
Strategic Note: Undergraduates accepted by audition into the Southeast Marching Band who enroll full-time, maintain the required GPA, and, for larger awards, achieve All-State status or live on campus as upper-division members.
🏛️ University of Wisconsin–La Crosse
$1,500 / YRGPA 2.5+ WI
●Hidden Gem
Holistic review / Not guaranteed
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How This Is Awarded
→ URC Grants (Undergrad Research & Creativity)
GPA: 2.50 | Ends: Two competitive cycles each year, one in fall and one in spring; specific due dates vary by semester.
Strategic Note: Undergraduates from any major with strong, well‑designed faculty‑mentored research or creative projects and clear plans for dissemination.
🏛️ Western Illinois University
$1,500 / YRGPA 2.5+ IL
●Hidden Gem
Holistic review / Not guaranteed
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How This Is Awarded
→ Study Abroad & Outreach Scholarships (Rocky, Beatrice Wehrly, donor awards)
GPA: 2.50 | Ends: March 1 (typical); varies by program
Strategic Note: Students who present clear academic goals for study abroad and maintain required GPA.
🏛️ Eastern Michigan University
$1,000 / YRGPA 2.5+ MI
●Hidden Gem
Holistic review / Not guaranteed
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How This Is Awarded
→ Glenna Frank Miller Student Leadership Endowed Scholarship
GPA: 2.50 | Ends: March (varies by cycle)
Strategic Note: Undergraduates who maintain at least a 2.5 GPA and demonstrate significant leadership and impact on student life through campus organizations.
+ 2 more qualifying scholarships available.
Click Get the Game Plan → to see the full strategy.
🏛️ Lindenwood University
$1,000 / YRGPA 2.5+ MO
●Hidden Gem
Holistic review / Not guaranteed
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How This Is Awarded
→ Missouri Boys State & Missouri Girls State Scholarship
GPA: 2.00 | Ends: At admission; must be admitted as a freshman after earning the Boys State or Girls State college credit.
Strategic Note: Civically engaged Missouri Boys State or Girls State participants who earned college credit and enroll as full-time freshmen in on-campus housing.
🏛️ Youngstown State University
$1,000 / YRGPA 2.5+ OH
●Hidden Gem
Holistic review / Not guaranteed
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How This Is Awarded
→ ROTC Gold Bar Scholarship
GPA: 2.50 | Ends: March 4 (final); campus-specific dates may vary
Strategic Note: Engaged freshman or sophomore Army ROTC cadets who maintain at least a 2.5 GPA and meet departmental standards.
