One of the biggest concerns when planning for college is how to pay for it.  The Warrensburg Counseling Office has information to help you navigate the world of financial aid, scholarships, and loans.

Below are a few resources to help you get started.  Counselors are available to answer questions and provide assistance.

**Students should not use their school email for scholarships as the firewall will prevent them from receiving information.

**Because students may get spam after signing up for some of the scholarship search sites, it is recommended a specific email account be set up just for scholarship search engine registration.

Explore resources below for scholarships for which you may be eligible.  Students are encouraged to check the scholarship listings every couple of weeks for new postings and upcoming deadlines.

Scholarship opportunities that we have been made aware of in the Counseling Office. I will also list some scholarships opportunities that are not necessarily local, but have specific deadlines.

Dual Credit Scholarships:

Students must be a resident of Missouri.  Applicants must be under the age of 21, unmarried and a descendant of a veteran with at least ninety days Active Service in the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines or Coast Guard,  who received an Honorable Discharge for such service.  A photocopy of the veteran's DD214, discharge or separation notice must accompany the scholarship application.  Any Additional Requirements for each scholarships are listed below.

Lillie Lois Ford Scholarship Fund  - Two awards of $1,000 each are given each year. A boy who has attended  The American Legion Boys State of Missouri or a full session of the Department's Cadet Patrol Academy. The second award is given to a girl who has attended The American Legion Auxiliary's Girls State program or a full session of the Department's Cadet Patrol Academy.

M.D. "Jack" Murphy Memorial Nurses Training Fund  - Currently one $1,000 award is given each year, and may, by application, be extended for a second year.  This award is available to a Missouri boy or girl training to be a Registered Nurse, and may be used in their freshman or subsequent college years.  The student must have graduated in the top forty percent of their high school class or have a "C" or equivalent standing from their last college or university semester.  

Joseph J. Frank Scholarship – Five awards of $750.00 are given annually to individuals who are descendants of a veteran. Applicant must have attended the 2022 session of The American Legion Boys State or The American Legion Auxiliary Girls State program. Applicants must be unmarried, under the age of 21, a current resident of the state of Missouri and must use the scholarship as a full time student in an accredited college or university.

Charles L. Bacon Memorial Scholarship  - Two awards of $750.00 are given annually in memory of the first Missourian to serve as National Commander of The American Legion.  Eligible are individuals who are currently members of The American Legion, the American Legion Auxiliary, or the Sons of The American Legion, or a descendant* of a member of any thereof.  Applicants must be unmarried, a resident of Missouri, under the age of 21, and must use the scholarship as a full-time student in an accredited college or university.

Erman W. Taylor Memorial Scholarship - Two $750.00 awards are given annually to a student planning on obtaining a degree in education, in honor of this Past National Executive Committeeman from Missouri.  To be eligible, individuals must:  (1) be a descendant* of a veteran who served 90 or more days of active duty in the armed forces and having an honorable discharge; (2) be a Missouri resident; (3) use the award as a full-time student at an accredited college or university; (4) provide a copy of the discharge certificate for the veteran on whose the application is made; and (6) submit an essay of 500 words or less on the subject     In your opinion, what was the most significant world event of this past year?

Shane Dean Voyles Memorial Scholarship - One $750.00 award will be awarded, annually. (1) Each school in the State of Missouri may nominate one student to be considered for the award. (2) The nominee will be selected on athletic, scholastic and leadership abilities. The nominee should be deeply involved in community and school activities. (4) Must use the award as a full-time student at an accredited college or university in the state of Missouri.

Missouri Detachment, Sons of the American Legion Scholarship – One award of $500 is given annually to a student who is a member of the Sons of the American Legion or of the Junior Auxiliary of the American Legion.  The student must complete an essay on the topic “What being a member of the American Legion Family means to me.”

The following is a link to a document with four pages of possible scholarships for Military Connected individuals.

The following sites have options for more than just pilots All aspects of the aviation industry are included.

The BBB Student of Integrity Scholarship Program honors students who demonstrate outstanding leadership and integrity. These awards are made possible by the BBB Education Foundation. 

BBB Midwest Plains provides three $2,000 scholarships for each of the five regions in its service area: Kansas City & Western Missouri, Kansas Plains, Lincoln & Greater Nebraska, Omaha & Southwest Iowa, and South Dakota.

Application portal closes on Feb. 28, 2025.

Since 1946, the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) has awarded more than $23 million in scholarships to outstanding NHS seniors. This year, they are awarding $2 million in scholarships to 600 students. Each year, scholarship recipients are selected based on their demonstration of the four pillars of NHS: Scholarship, Service, Leadership, and Character.

Apply Here!

Most colleges offer merit scholarships as well as need-based scholarships.  Seniors are encouraged to research each college in which they are interested in order to determine all possible scholarship opportunities and applications deadlines.  These are usually found on the institution's Admissions or Financial Aid website.  Please report all scholarship awards you receive to Mrs. Stinson, WHS Registrar.

The Hagan Scholarship is a nationwide need-based merit scholarship, providing recipients with the opportunity to achieve their goals and graduate college debt-free. Applicants must graduate from a high school located in the United States. Applicant’s Adjusted Gross Household Income reported for 2023 Federal Income Tax Purposes must not have exceeded $100,000. Free workshops, Free Schwab Brokerage Accounts, and Free Study Abroad provide recipients with a practical understanding of important life skills not typically covered in the school curriculum. Recipients graduating college while in the Hagan Scholarship Program can apply for a Hagan Graduate Scholarship good for up to four additional consecutive semesters.

This scholarship provides renewable, full-tuition awards, plus a stipend for books and supplies, for up to 50 Missouri students who need financial help to purse their bachelor's degree. All applicants must be MO residents and either (a) high school seniors with a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher, or (b) community college students with at least one year of transferable credits and a GPA of 2.25 or higher. Community college applicants must be planning to transfer to a four-year university to complete their bachelor's degree.

Learn more and apply at learnmore.scholarsapply.org/westlake

Deadline to apply is February 3, 2025 at 3:00pm

Questbridge connects academically outstanding high school seniors from low-income backgrounds with full four-year scholarships to the nation's best colleges (100% of demonstrated college financial need).

Deadline to apply is September 26, 2024.

Jackie Robinson Foundation Scholarship:  For graduating Minority HS Seniors to receive grants of up to $30,000 over four years and extensive support services including career guidance and internship placement.

Hispanic Scholarship Fund: HSF empowers families with the knowledge and resources to successfully complete a higher education, while providing scholarships and support services to as many exceptional students as possible.  Founded in 1975, HSF has awarded over $708 million in scholarships. HSF Scholars have access to valuable Scholar Support Services and, as funding permits, scholarships ranging from $500 to $5,000. Application closes Feb. 15, 2024, 7:00pm. The next application should open in January 2025.

The Gates Scholarship: The Gates Scholarship (TGS) is a highly selective, last-dollar scholarship for outstanding, minority, high school seniors from low-income households. Each year, the scholarship is awarded to exceptional student leaders, with the intent of helping them realize their maximum potential. Selected Scholars will receive funding for the full cost of attendance to earn a bachelor’s degree, that is not already covered by other financial aid and the Student Aid Index, as determined by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), or the methodology used by a Scholar’s college or university. Costs covered include tuition, fees, books, and food and housing, and may include additional personal costs. Application closes Sept. 15, 2024 at 2:00 PM Pacific Time.

CyberCorps®: Scholarship for Service (SFS)

The SFS program, funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) in collaboration with the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM), provides full scholarships for cybersecurity degree programs. Recipients must commit to working for a government agency post-graduation, helping to strengthen the public sector’s cybersecurity capabilities.

Amazon Future Engineer Scholarship: Awards 400 high school seniors up to $40,000 in college scholarships and paid internship opportunities at Amazon for students planning to study computer science, engineering, or related fields. Application closes December 19, 2024.

Fastweb

StudentScholarships.org

Guide to Scholarships by Major

Collegeanswer.com (SallieMae Sponsored)

College Board

ScholarshipGuidance.com

9 Places to look for Full Ride Scholarships

Going Merry

Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation

Taco Bell Live Mas Scholarship

UCM--Mule Grant

University of Missouri--Columbia--Missouri Land Grant

Missouri State University--MoState Access Award

UMKC--Roo Advantage Scholarship

Nebraska Wesleyan University--Access NWU

Northwest MO State--Northwest Promise