The College Bound Scholarship is a great way to help pay for college. It is a need-based scholarship, so it is available to students who demonstrate financial need.
The scholarship can be used for tuition, fees, room and board, and other expenses. The College Bound Scholarship is renewable for up to four years of undergraduate study.
The College Bound Scholarship (CBS) is a Washington State financial aid program that was founded to give low-income students access to education, hence shaping their future better.
CBS was founded in 2007. With the grant from the College Bound Scholarship, candidates can attend as many as 60 colleges across the state.
CBS is one of the several scholarships administered by the Washington State Achievement Council (WSAC). The body administers as many as ten (10) scholarships for different strata of people/students.
ABOUT THE COLLEGE-BOUND SCHOLARSHIP
The College Bound Scholarship program is a Washington state scholarship that pays for tuition, books, and other education-related expenses for eligible students who attend college in Washington. The program is administered by the Washington State Higher Education Coordinating Board (HECB).
The program was created in 2007 by the Washington State Legislature to make college more affordable for low- and middle-income students. The Legislature funded the program with $17 million in its first year. In 2008, Washington state voters approved a constitutional amendment that allowed the Legislature to use a portion of the state lottery fund to pay for the scholarships.
To be eligible for the College Bound Scholarship, students must some requirements.
Students who meet the eligibility requirements and enroll in college within one year of graduating from high school will receive a College Bound Scholarship that pays for tuition at any public college or university in Washington state. The scholarship also pays for a portion of tuition at some private colleges and universities in Washington state.
In addition to the College Bound Scholarship, low-income students may also be eligible for the State Need Grant, which is a need-based grant that pays for college expenses such as tuition, books, and fees.
The College Bound Scholarship provides an early promise of financial aid to low-income students. When an eligible student signs up for the scholarship in the 7th or 8th grade, the body awards the scholarship to the student upon graduation provided he/she meets a set of requirements, known as the College Bound Pledge, by the end of High School.
The CBS can be used in about 60 colleges across Washington, public and private. It covers the average tuition fee, book allowance, and some other fees. However, it does not cover the expenses for housing, meals, and health insurance.
OVERVIEW OF THE SPONSOR
The College Bound Scholarship was initiated by the Washington State Achievement Council in 2007 as another division under their state financial aid program. Efforts from the body determine eligibility for CBS during students’ 7th and 8th grades.
The WSAC administers other scholarships targeted at specific groups of people. CBS is one of those scholarships under the need-based programs flag, as there are others like the merit-based programs and the workforce programs.
The Washington State Achievement Council (WSAC) determines the eligibility of students earlier on before graduation from High School. When a student graduates High School and begins College application, the Federal Students Aid through its Expected Family Contribution (EFC) does a second income-based determination of a student’s CBS eligibility.
FIELD OF STUDY
The College Bound Scholarship is open to all students who meet the basic requirements of the scholarship in their High School, irrespective of what course they decide to study later on.
Legal residents of the District of Washington who are eligible for the scholarship are encouraged to begin their application. Parents and relatives who have students who may be in their 7th and 8th grades are also encouraged to inform them of the scholarship.
ELIGIBLE NATIONALITY
The scholarship is open to citizens of the United States and immigrants who reside in Washington. Candidates who have Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) status are also eligible.
ELIGIBILITY
The College Bound Pledge is a list of requirements an aspiring scholar must meet before he or she receives the scholarship. Students pledge to these requirements upon completion of the application in High School and certificates are sent to the email addresses of potential candidates. However, it should be noted that the certificate does not guarantee a scholarship after High School.
SCHOLARSHIP WORTH
The College Bound Scholarship is one of the best out there. College Bound Scholars receive an award of up to $20,000 every spring to cover their tuition fees, personal expenses, and transportation.
Depending on the school/college a scholar listed and attends, the price might vary.
SCHOLARSHIP REQUIREMENTS
Students who are eligible and have received the award must maintain a GPA of 2.0 or higher to maintain their place on the list of awardees.
To receive the scholarship, a student who pledged in his or her High School must:
- Be determined as income-eligible by his or her college with the information from FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) and WASFA (Washington Application for State Financial Aid).
- Must start attending college within one year of graduation from High School.
- Must meet the program’s state residency standards for CBS.
HOW TO APPLY
The College Bound Scholarship is a need-based program, hence students are picked based on their academic performances and financial needs.
Students who are in public schools and are eligible for free-and-reduced price lunch between 7th & 9th grade and students who are either in foster care or are dependent on the state between 7th grade and High School graduation are automatically enrolled in the scholarship.
For students who do not fall under the above categories but are interested in applying for College Bound, they can apply by following the steps listed below:
- File the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) or WASFA (Washington Application for State Financial Aid).
- List every college they plan on applying to when filling out their financial aid application.
Financial aid applications are matched with the College Bound application of students after the deadline. Students who are identified as College Bound will be contacted through the email addresses they registered with upon completion of the application.
APPLICATION DEADLINE
Application for the scholarship started on the 1st of October, 2021, and it will remain open for as long as schools are taking in new students. However, it is advisable to start applications as soon as possible as this puts students as front-runners for the award.
TIPS TO WIN THE COLLEGE BOUND SCHOLARSHIP
- Ensure you are eligible
The College Bound Scholarship is a need-based program by the Washington State Achievement Council. Although students must have a GPA of 2.0 or more to be considered for this award, the final pick boils down to whether or not they fulfill the financial eligibility. Before you apply for the scholarship, you might want to double-check if you are eligible.
- Start early
The College Bound Scholarship has no fixed amount; Hence, students who apply early tend to get higher values of funds than those who waited for too long before filing their application.
- Have a solid GPA
The College Bound Scholarship is need-based, however, you need to stand out among other equally qualified applicants and there is no better way to do that than to perform excellently and have a compelling GPA. The GPA might be the deciding factor of who gets the scholarship, and who does not.
BENEFITS OF WINNING A COLLEGE BOUND SCHOLARSHIP
The College Bound Scholarship is easily one of the best a student can hope for. While there is a gamut of reasons anyone would want to win the scholarship, below are a few benefits College Bound scholars enjoy.
- FInancial buoyancy
This is enough of a reason to apply for the scholarship, if eligible. A student who is on the payroll of the body will find it easier to plan his finances. With the scholarship, the need for a student loan dwindles and students have a better chance at starting life post-College free of debt.
- Educational benefits
Despite student loans, many students work part-time to scale through College. The College Bound Scholarship gives students the added focus to worry about nothing besides academics. If you hope to perform excellently in College, you might want to apply for this scholarship if you are eligible.
Records by the Washington State Achievement Council reveal that College Bound scholars, on graduation, perform about 10% better than their other low-income students who did not sign up for the program.
- Career benefits
One of the biggest benefits of scholarships is the advantage it gives when building a career or writing a resume. Students who are scholars have a lot to brag about, and it does not end there. After college, they get to tell potential employers through their resumes how they outshone the rest of their colleagues as undergraduates.
OTHER SCHOLARSHIPS UNDER THE WASHINGTON FINANCIAL AIDS
The Washington State Financial Aid runs three programs:
- Need-Based Programs
- Merit-Based Programs
- Workforce Programs.
The three are talked about briefly below.
NEED-BASED PROGRAMS:
- Washington College Grant
This is intended for people of all ages and those from low-income and middle-income backgrounds/families. The (WCG) is generous. It provides financial assistance for people in college, in career training, and for apprentices in training.
- College Bound Scholarship
The College Bound Scholarship provides an early promise of financial assistance to low-income families. You may refer to the top of the article or the FAQs for detailed information about this scholarship.
- Passport to careers
This scholarship helps students from foster care and unaccompanied homeless youth attend colleges, and undergo apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship programs.
- Washington State Opportunity Scholarship
The Washington State Opportunity Scholarship is another scholarship similar to the College Bound scholarship. Also, the need-based programs, help low-income and middle-class students earn certificates, degrees, and in-demand apprenticeships.
- Opportunity grant
Helps low-income students complete programs that are high in demand.
MERIT-BASED PROGRAMS:
American Indian Endowed Scholarship
The American Indian Endowed Scholarship targets students who live in Washington but have a close cultural or social tie to the American Indian tribe.
WORKFORCE PROGRAMS:
National Guard Grant
The National Guard Grant helps members of the Washington National guard get an undergraduate degree or a certificate.
SUMMARY
Here is the complete summary of all you need to know about the College Bound Scholarship;
IMPORTANT RESOURCES
- Visit the official website of the Washington Student Achievement Council here.
- All the scholarships offered by WSAC: Visit here.
- Twitter profile link here.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION
- Sponsors: The Washington State
- Department: All departments
- Access Mode: Online
- Nationality: American
- State: Washington
- Language requirement: Students must be fluent or native to the English Language.
FAQs
What are the requirements for the College Bound Scholarship?
Students must: Graduate from High School with a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher. Have no felony convictions. Apply for FAFSA ((Free Application for Federal Student Aid) or WASFA (Washington Application for State Financial Aid) beginning their senior year of High School.
How do I know if I have a complete College Bound application?
Upon completion of your application, you will receive an email of your certificate at the email address you filled out while applying for the scholarship. If you do not receive this, you can check with your High School counselor.
Must I have my certificate to receive the award?
No, it is not required. The certificate does not guarantee the scholarship.
How do I know my GPA if I attend an alternative High School where we do not use GPA?
You may ask your principal to send a letter to WSAC stating that you met the 2.0 GPA mark.
I am home-schooled. What do I have to do?
Home-schooled students can verify their college readiness by providing any of the three: A standardized test (PCAT, SAT, Plan, ACT, or The Smarter Balanced Assessment test). A complete placement exam such as Accuplacer. Complete at least 12 academic college credits or credits specific to your program with a GPA of 2.0 or higher. In addition to this, home-schooled students are to provide a final high school transcript to verify High School completion and a copy of the letter of intent to the Home School form.
CONCLUSION
The College Bound Scholarship provides an opportunity for low-income students to attend college. The scholarship pays for tuition, books, and other expenses. It is a great way to get a college education without going into debt. The scholarship can be used at any accredited college or university in the United States.
There are no restrictions on how the scholarship money can be used. The scholarship is renewable for up to four years of undergraduate study. The College Bound Scholarship is a great way to get a college education.
It is an investment in your future that will pay off in the long run. Apply for the scholarship today and get on the path to a bright future.