A Classical & Christ-Centered Education

College Planning

Scholarship & Financial Aid Info

by Loren Euhus

Some scholarships will be handed to you.  Local examples:

  • LCSC offers an automatic $2500 to Idaho students with a 3.75 GPA, and $1500 for a 3.25 GPA.
  • NSA offers an automatic $500 scholarship for grads of an ACCS school.
  • UI offers an automatic $7500 scholarship for Idaho students with a 3.9 GPA, $5000 for a 3.75 GPA, $4000 for a 3.4 GPA, and $1000 for a 3.0 GPA.
  • If you declare a certain major, some departments may give you a scholarship.

But many scholarships require some initiative on your part. You must find them and apply.  Often, the application requires an essay or written references. It’s a bit of a hassle!  But if you spend 10 hours filling out 10 applications, and you get 1 or 2 of those scholarships, the return on your investment is immense.

Idaho State Board of Education Scholarships

Here is one of interest: The State of Idaho awards scholarships annually to Logos students.  These are for any state school in Idaho.  The application opens up on October 1st.   See https://boardofed.idaho.gov/scholarships/. There are numerous options; two specific ones to look at are:

  1. Idaho Governor’s Cup Scholarship.  Deadline February 15.  Requires 2.8 GPA and strong public service/volunteerism experience.
  2. Opportunity Scholarship.  The deadline is March 1.  GPA must be at least a 2.7, with demonstrated financial need.

Military: If you are interested in the armed forces, there are many options available for paying for college. ROTC and the Reserves are options while you go to college, and active duty has educational benefits afterward under the GI Bill.

Athletics: If you have an interest in college athletics at any level, you should discuss it with Mr. Lopez. There are many detailed forms and requirements to ensure your eligibility.

Need-Based Financial Aid:  

Merit-based scholarships are based on your abilities and accomplishments: test scores, GPA, recommendations, etc.  Need-based scholarships are based on you and your family’s actual tax returns and other financial data.  If you don’t submit your financial information, you will be eligible for only merit-based scholarships. Be aware of the filing priority date for your college.  There are two common ways financial need is assessed:

  1. The FAFSA (“Free Application for Federal Student Aid) is one indicator of financial need. The federal government uses it to determine eligibility for federal grants and loans, but other non-federal entities use it to assess financial need. For example, the FAFSA is used by some Christian schools, private scholarships, state scholarships, departmental scholarships, and work-study programs (which are prioritized by financial need). The FAFSA website is: https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa. Applications are available and can be filled out after October 1st.  The FAFSA deadline is June 30th, but do not be deceived: colleges require it MUCH earlier for their purposes. For example, the UI requires it to be submitted by Feb 15th.
  2. CSS Profile: Another means of assessing financial need is the College Board’s CSS Profile.  Approximately 400 colleges use it, primarily private and elite institutions. The CSS Profile is more detailed than the FAFSA.    https://cssprofile.collegeboard.org/

Depending on parental finances, both the CSS Profile and FAFSA can be complex (for example, if the parents own a business), so it’s best not to wait to begin this process.