We’ve all wondered how we’re going to pay for our kids college education. If you have a child that is going into 8th grade in the Fall of 2015 than there is an organization out there that will literally pay your child’s tuition for private education for high school, college, and yes, even graduate school– upwards of $520,000 per child. If your child is a lot younger, like my little tot, put it on your calendar because your child’s grades in the 6th and 7th grades effect eligibility. Here’s what you need to know about the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation and how to get your child’s education paid for before high school.
The Scholarship The Jack Kent Cooke Foundation scholarships are awarded annually to approximately 235 students who have financial need. Awards may be as much as $40,000 per year and are available to any student living in United States at the time of application. In determining financial need, the Foundation considers the high cost of living in some areas, extraordinary medical expenses for the student or other family members, and the number of dependents in college. Though the Foundation accepts applications from students with an adjusted family gross income of less than $95,000, the average family income of our selected high school students is approximately $30,000, and the majority of our undergraduate students to date have been Pell grant eligible. Scholarship recipients come from all racial and ethnic backgrounds and from rural, suburban, and urban communities throughout the United States. Many are the first in their family to pursue a college education. Cooke Scholars have come from almost every state, and their ethnic composition reflects the national population. The Foundation today offers three national scholarship programs:
The Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Young Scholars Program provides the most personalized, generous scholarship and educational support in the nation for exceptionally high-performing students from families with financial need. Young Scholars, who apply in the 7th grade, receive comprehensive educational advising and financial support through high school to enable them to excel. The Foundation annually receives well in excess of 1,000 applications for this program. In 2014 it selected 65 of these applicants as Young Scholars. The Foundation conducts a rigorous application review, which includes analysis of grades, test scores, student and parent essays, letters of recommendation, and family financial information. The average GPA of the Young Scholars on graduating from high school in 2014 was 3.8. In this year’s graduating class, 91% enrolled in highly competitive colleges and universities. The Young Scholars Program application period is open January-March each year. Here’s more information about how to apply.