Fall 2012 Scholarship Program

Important Dates

November 15, 2011

Application deadline for Brown Scholar and Dixon Scholar Award consideration.

February 1, 2012

Priority application deadline for all other scholarships. Personal interview deadline for Brown Scholar (required) and Dixon Scholar (optional) Awards.

March 1, 2012

Deadline for any new information pertaining to scholarship consideration (improved class rank or standardized testing results, for example).

General Information

This scholarship program is intended for first-year students. Southwestern’s transfer student scholarship program can be found here.

All admitted students are automatically considered for all applicable scholarship programs. All scholarships are awarded regardless of financial need and are renewable annually for up to eight semesters if a minimum GPA, as stated in the award letter, is maintained. When demonstrated financial need is greater than the academic scholarship value, the scholarship will become part of the overall need-based award. Students may take the highest combination of their critical reading and math scores from separate test dates when calculating SAT scores. When an official class rank is provided by the high school, it will be used to determine scholarship eligibility regardless of grade point average. When a high school has a no-rank policy, other factors will be used to determine scholarship eligibility including, but not limited to, grade distribution information for that specific school and/or grade point averages. In all cases, Southwestern reserves the right to recalculate a student’s eligibility for merit scholarships using a consistent, uniform, internal calculation that may exclude non-academic coursework. When the high school ranks specific segments of their graduating class - such as only ranking the top 10 percent - it will be assumed that an unranked student does not fall into that category for merit consideration regardless of grade point average. A student may receive more than one scholarship or grant. With the exception of the Brown Scholar Award, Southwestern merit scholarships and grants cannot exceed tuition without the student first establishing financial need.

Course Work Requirements

To be a competitive candidate for scholarship consideration, students must be offered admission, meet the criteria of the scholarship program, and complete 18 secondary school academic units, with at least 16 academic units occurring in grades 9-12 (Mathematics through Pre-Calculus/Trigonometry required).

Examples of acceptable course work (by subject): English: English I, English II, English III, English IV; Mathematics: Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II, Pre-Calculus, Calculus AB, Calculus BC, Statistics; Lab Science: Biology I & II, Chemistry I & II, Physics I & II, IPC, Anatomy & Physiology, Environmental Science; Social Science/History: Geography, World History, US History, Government/Economics (Macro or Micro), Psychology/Sociology, European History; Foreign Language: French, German, Spanish, Latin, Japanese, Chinese and American Sign Language (other languages may be considered); One year of an additional academic unit from areas above or Computer Science I & II (Not including Microcomputer Applications, Computer Math, or BCIS)

Southwestern University Stacking Policy

Students may receive no more than three (3) Southwestern merit or need-based scholarships, awards, grants, recognitions and/or distinctions. With the exception of the Brown Scholar Award, Southwestern-based awards cannot exceed the cost of tuition and fees.

Availability of Funds Disclosure

All scholarships are awarded based on the availability of funds. It is advisable to apply well in advance of posted deadlines.

NCAA Division III Student-Athlete Statement

Southwestern adheres to all NCAA Division III policies, regulations, and guidelines that prohibit the awarding of merit scholarships and financial assistance to student-athletes on the basis of athletic participation or performance. All student-athletes will be evaluated under the same programs and procedures as the general student body in all merit scholarship and financial assistance reviews.

Statement Of Nondiscrimination

Southwestern University’s recruiting of students, awarding of financial aid, and operation of programs and facilities are without regard to sex, race, color, religion, age, disability, national or ethnic origin, or any other impermissible factor. Southwestern University’s commitment to equal opportunity includes nondiscrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.

COMPETITIVE AWARDS

Brown Scholar Awards

Full Tuition, Room And Board

Brown Scholar candidates must submit an admission application by November 15, 2011, and interview with a member of the admission staff no later than February 1, 2012. Applicants also should rank minimally in the top 5% of their high school class (or if high school does not rank, have the equivalent of a 3.8 GPA on a 4.0 scale). In addition, students must score at least a 1400 on the SAT (CR+M) or 31 on the ACT.

Candidates will be considered using information provided in the admission application. The following criteria will be used to evaluate each candidate: quality/rigor of the high school academic record, performance on the SAT or ACT, level of extracurricular involvement, quality of the written essay, interview with a member of the admission staff (required) and content of recommendation letters.

Finalists will be invited to campus to compete for the award March 2 & 3, 2012. This award is highly competitive—typically, more than 100 students meet the minimum guidelines for consideration. There are no more than four Brown Scholars in any entering class.

Bishop Ernest T. Dixon, Jr. Scholarships

Full Tuition & $7,500 per year

The Texas Methodist Foundation, in partnership with Southwestern, administers a competitive scholarship program to benefit high-achieving African American, Hispanic and Native American students. This program provides donor-assisted support named in honor of a leading advocate of higher education—the late United Methodist Bishop Ernest T. Dixon, Jr.

Dixon Scholar candidates must submit an admission application by November 15, 2011. Applicants also should rank minimally in the top 10% of their high school class (or if high school does not rank, have the equivalent of a 3.7 GPA on a 4.0 scale). There is no testing minimum.

Candidates will be considered using information provided in the admission application. The following criteria will be used to evaluate each candidate: quality/rigor of the high school academic record, performance on the SAT or ACT, extracurricular involvement, quality of the written essay, personal interview with a member of the admission staff (optional) and content of recommendation letters.

Finalists will be invited to campus to compete for the award March 2 & 3, 2012. This award is highly competitive.

GENERAL SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

Cody, Mood, Ruter & President’s Scholar Awards

$7,000 to $22,000 per year

Candidates must submit an admission application by the February 1, 2012, priority deadline. Applicants also must rank minimally in the top 35 percent of their high school class (or if high school does not rank, have the equivalent of at least a 3.2 GPA on a 4.0 scale) and must score at least an 1150 on the SAT (CR+M) or 25 the ACT. Use the grid to match your class rank (left column) with your SAT or ACT score (top row). Students may take the highest combination of their critical reading and math scores from separate test dates when calculating SAT scores.

Example: If your class rank is top 10 percent and your SAT is a 1370 (CR+M), your award is $16,000 (Mood Scholar).

 

Pirate Awards

Up to $12,000 per year

Students not meeting the requirements for Brown, Cody, Mood, Ruter and President’s Scholar Awards may be considered for a Pirate Award. Southwestern makes Pirate Awards available to applicants with strong academic backgrounds, sustained achievement, well-rounded extracurricular profiles and outstanding personal qualities, with potential for continued academic success.

 

Distinction Awards

Up to $5,000 per year

The Southwestern Admission Staff offers Distinction Awards based on the competitiveness of each student’s overall application. Areas of distinction may include, but are not limited to, the following:

Leadership and co-curricular activities, strength and depth of writing samples, SAT and/or ACT writing scores, Legacy connection, National Achievement Finalist or National Hispanic Scholar recognition, National Merit Commended Scholar recognition, participation in a National Hispanic Institute program (YLC, LDZ or CWS), rigor of high school academic curriculum, i.e., Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate coursework, and the total number of course credit earned in the areas of English, mathematics, lab science, social science/history and foreign languages (please refer to Coursework Requirements for eligible courses).

 

OTHER SCHOLARSHIPS, GRANTS & RECOGNITIONS

Preministerial Scholarships

$10,000 per year

Southwestern offers scholarships to students interested in careers in full-time ministry. Candidates for this scholarship must submit a Pre-Ministerial Scholarship Application by February 1, 2012. Contact the Office of Admission for application information.

 

Beneficiary Grants

$6,000 per year

As a United Methodist-related institution, Southwestern has restricted funds to assist dependents of United Methodist clergy. Candidates for this grant must submit a Beneficiary Grant Application by Februrary 1, 2012. Contact the Office of Admission for application information.

 

National Merit Scholar Recognition

$2,000 per year

Southwestern sponsors merit awards for named scholars in the National Merit Scholarship program. Students must name Southwestern as their first choice university by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation’s published deadline date.

 

Southwestern Grants

Amounts Vary

Awarded by Southwestern to students demonstrating financial need, Southwestern Grant funding is made possible by generous gifts from alumni and friends. Consideration for a Southwestern Grant requires completion and submission of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) as early as possible after January 1, 2012, but no later than March 1, 2012. FAFSA information can be found at www.fafsa.ed.gov. The Southwestern University code is 003620.

 

FINE ARTS SCHOLARSHIPS & AWARDS

Music, Theatre and Art Scholarships

Up To $12,000 per year

More here.