RHS Scholarship Information 

Follow the link above to get to the RHS Counseling Services Scholarship page.  Here you can find Scholarship Search engines as well s details on specific scholarships (under "Local").

Scholarship Planner

Use this handout to track all the scholarships for which you apply.

Institutional Scholarships

These scholarships are awarded by colleges based on information provided in your admission applications (more likely with private colleges) or through a separate scholarship application filled out once you’ve completed the college’s admission application.  If you meet criteria, these are often the best scholarships, so be sure to apply if you qualify.

 Often Scholarship Application Deadlines are much earlier than Admission Deadlines, but you must have submitted and been accepted to the college to be considered for scholarships. For example, the University of Houston's application deadline application deadline this year was MAy1, 2024; but the scholarship deadline was December 15, 2021.

These scholarships are often based and grades (GPA/rank) and test scores as well as other criteria.  Some are also need-based.  Take advantage of  free test prep resources to improve skills and retake the ACT and/or SAT to improve scores to be eligible for these scholarships.  See the  "ACT & SAT Testing" page for more info.

Check out the scholarship website for each college to read about scholarships offered for incoming freshmen, criteria to qualify and application process. Example of a College’s Scholarship Website:  http://www.finaid.txstate.edu/scholarships.html 

Hint: Sometimes it’s easier just to Google college + scholarship to get to the site rather than navigating through the college’s website:  i. e. Texas State Scholarships

Outside Scholarships

These scholarships are awarded by various organizations, usually not tied directly to a specific institution. You can find these scholarships through scholarship databases, the RHS website, directly from organizations and companies to which you or your parents belong or for whom they work.  Mrs. Wallace will also be sending out scholarship information through the Class of 2023 Google Classroom.

1. Online Database Search Engines:  Many have students create a profile so the database can attempt to match scholarships to the student.  Some are better than others.  

2. "Local" Scholarships: These are scholarships that are often offered to a limited group of students, such as students in Williamson County or Central Texas or LISD .  You can find these listed in the Class of 2023 Google Classroom and under "Local Scholarships" under Scholarship and Financial Aid Information on the RHS Counseling Services website.

Categories of Scholarships 

·       Contests or Sweepstakes

·       Based on affiliations 

·       Based or specific characteristics—leadership, service to community, specific college major, etc.

·       Offered by local organizations for students at area high schools (Norton Moses Mason Lodge in Leander) or attending a specific college (Williamson County Aggie Moms Club); may or may not be need-based or looking for students with specific characteristics

·       Essay:  These scholarships are usually based almost or entirely on the student’s essay about a specific topic (PEC offers an essay scholarship contest each year.)

Note: Many scholarship applications required students to write a short essay about themselves related to the scholarship criteria.  This personal statement is part of several components of the essay, not the sole criteria for determining a recipient. 

  Scholarship Application Tips

Follow the suggestions in this handout for completing scholarship applications effectively.