Strategic Note: This is a strong full-tuition-style award for freshmen who fall below the Presidential Academic range but still have a high GPA and solid test score. It is especially valuable because it can cover tuition, required fees, and books, but families should remember that housing and meals are not included.

Strategic Note: Need-based Arkansas students who live off campus but qualify for Promise Plus and want built-in meal and express funds.

Strategic Note: Alabama residents who become National Merit Finalists and officially name Auburn as first choice by the deadline. This is not a normal holistic scholarship chase; the hard part is reaching National Merit Finalist status and completing the first-choice process correctly.

Strategic Note: Metro Nashville Public Schools students—especially those living or studying near E.S. Rose Park—who show strong academics, leadership, and financial need.

Strategic Note: Incoming freshmen with very strong GPAs (often around 3.7+), rigorous coursework, notable leadership and service experience, and standout performance in the interview and essay portions.

Strategic Note: Selected first-generation, low-income SC students from rural or under-resourced schools who complete program milestones.

Strategic Note: High-achieving A/A- students who show intellectual curiosity, leadership, community impact, and strong potential to contribute to campus.

Strategic Note: Admitted Duke undergraduates whose legal residence is in North or South Carolina and whose family incomes meet the initiative’s thresholds, with complete financial aid applications.

Strategic Note: Children of eligible employees at Tuition Exchange member institutions with strong academic records; competition is high relative to the number of available slots.

Strategic Note: Students graduating from FAMU Adopted partner high schools who demonstrate outstanding academic performance and leadership and complete the specific scholarship application process.

Strategic Note: This is restricted to Florida-resident National Merit Finalists who complete the first-choice college process. It is extremely valuable, but it is not available to the general FAU applicant pool.

Strategic Note: This is FIU's flagship National Merit package for non-Florida residents. It is extremely valuable, but it is restricted to National Merit Finalists who list FIU as first choice, are admitted as FTIC students, enroll full time, and maintain the required GPA and credit load.

Strategic Note: Top Prestige finalists among the strongest admitted students academically and personally.

Strategic Note: Approximately eight students per year chosen from about 200 interviewees, typically with very high GPAs (often near or above 3.9, many with AP/honors coursework), strong leadership and service, and excellent interview and essay performance.

Strategic Note: A very small cohort of the most outstanding Honors College admits with exceptional academic records, leadership, and intellectual engagement.

Strategic Note: Applicants with approximately a 4.0 unweighted GPA, around 1550 SAT or 34 ACT, top 5% class rank, and exceptional interview performance and leadership.

Strategic Note: Outstanding Alabama Community College System transfer students with at least 45 transferable credits, a minimum 3.5 transfer GPA, and strong faculty-supported leadership records.

Strategic Note: Texas veterans, spouses, and dependents who meet state service and residency criteria and submit complete paperwork on time.

Strategic Note: High-achieving students officially ranked first or second in their graduating class with at least a 3.50 unweighted GPA and 1350+ SAT or 29+ ACT.

Strategic Note: Roughly 10–20 first-year students per year with GPAs of about 3.5 or higher, ACT around 30+ or equivalent SAT/CLT, strong leadership and service, and excellent interview and video presentations.

Strategic Note: High-achieving seniors from specified Central Georgia counties with strong academics, service, and a clear Mercer fit.

Strategic Note: About 20 incoming freshmen each year with exceptional academics, leadership, service, and essays who intend to participate fully in the Honors College.

Strategic Note: Graduates of Kentucky’s Governor’s Scholars Program, Governor’s School for the Arts, Governor’s School for Entrepreneurs, or Murray State’s Commonwealth Honors Academy who meet GPA and test criteria and file the general application on time; GSA arts awards go to strong arts majors selected through portfolio or audition.

Strategic Note: Eligible veterans, Guard/Reserve members, and dependents who maintain VA eligibility and submit paperwork on time.

Strategic Note: Undergraduate and graduate cybersecurity students with strong academics and commitment to public-sector cybersecurity careers who can meet federal employment and security clearance requirements.

Strategic Note: Incoming freshmen, often with 4.2+ weighted GPAs, advanced coursework, and significant leadership and service, who stand out in the Honors selection and interview process.

Strategic Note: Lowest-income NC residents who meet FAFSA and residency

Strategic Note: Verified GSP completers who enroll full-time and meet NKU renewal standards.

Strategic Note: A very small number of top-performing CPCC transfer students with superior academic records and leadership achievement who complete all required scholarship steps.

Strategic Note: Top academic and leadership first-year applicants with exceptional nominations and strong overall fit for Rhodes.

Strategic Note: A very small number of qualified dependents nationwide whose home institutions certify them for Tuition Exchange or ACS Exchange and who are then selected by Sewanee through a competitive process.

Strategic Note: Actively drilling Louisiana National Guard members who meet STEP academic and service requirements and re-certify on time each term.

Strategic Note: High-achieving freshmen with at least a 3.6 GPA and ACT of 28 or higher (or SAT around 1320+) and documented leadership or service.

Strategic Note: Top creative applicants in Studio Art, Digital Arts, Museum and Curatorial Studies, or Theatre Arts whose portfolios or auditions clearly stand out.

Strategic Note: High-achieving students just below the Scholars PLUS tier, typically with 3.7+ GPAs and 30–32 ACT or 1360–1440 SAT superscore.

Strategic Note: Highly accomplished students with top academics, rigorous coursework, and a standout creative or written submission; many successful candidates have very high test scores if submitted, but Tulane remains test-optional.

Strategic Note: Extremely high-achieving students who first make it through the Witt Fellows pathway. This is full-ride-level money, but the pool is tiny and students need more than high scores — they need strong essays, interview strength, leadership, service, and the kind of academic depth that stands out in a very small finalist group.

Strategic Note: One of the very top students already sitting inside UAB's strongest Presidential Recognition pool. This is not simply a 33 ACT scholarship; the student also has to survive the invite-only endowed scholarship process, essays, committee review, and interview stage.

Strategic Note: Students with perfect or near-perfect stats and significant academic depth

Strategic Note: Around 25 new scholars each year with near-perfect GPAs, ACT scores in the high 20s or above, strong rigor, leadership, service, and standout essays and interviews.

Strategic Note: Students at/above FAS benchmarks; covers tuition/fees only

Strategic Note: Florida Finalists; one of the few true “full ride” packages at UF

Strategic Note: ~25 new Fellows/year; top 1–2% nationally with leadership and service

Strategic Note: Reserved for Kentucky Governor’s Scholars who meet Presidential standards.

Strategic Note: Top civic-minded Kentucky students; leadership, writing, strong interview

Strategic Note: First-year applicants with near-perfect academic records and very rigorous coursework who perform at the very top of UM’s admitted pool and stand out in the Premier Scholarship review.

Strategic Note: Top Honors admits with leadership, engagement, and strong academic records.

Strategic Note: Typically honors-eligible students with 4.2+ weighted GPA and strong extracurriculars or service.

Strategic Note: Up to 20 strong OOS students per year

Strategic Note: High-achieving cybersecurity or IT students at UTC who intend to work for federal, state, local, or tribal government in cybersecurity roles.

Strategic Note: One high-achieving student from each Tennessee county, selected for academic merit and leadership; competitiveness varies by county.

Strategic Note: Top Virginia achievers, often first-gen/URM

Strategic Note: Top cybersecurity-related majors committed to federal or government cybersecurity service after graduation.

Strategic Note: A very small subset of admitted first-year students with exceptional academic achievements, leadership, and significant extracurricular or community impact across all Vanderbilt undergraduate schools.

Strategic Note: About 3–4 Pamplin Leaders statewide annually recognized as Finalists; exceptional merits

Strategic Note: Pell-eligible Kentucky residents with at least a 3.0 GPA who remain full-time, keep required aid, and meet Satisfactory Academic Progress.

Strategic Note: Dependents of eligible faculty or staff at member institutions who qualify through the Tuition Exchange selection process.