The  A+ Scholarship Program is a merit-based scholarship that provides scholarship funds to eligible graduates of A+ designated high schools who attend participating public community colleges or vocational/technical schools.  For all enrollment forms, and further questions please contact the high school counselor.

To be eligible a student must meet the following requirements:

• Be a U.S. Citizen or permanent resident

• Enter into a written agreement with your high school prior to graduation

• Attend  a designated A+ high school for 2 years prior to graduation.  *Visit website for specifics*

• Graduate with an overall unweighted grade point average of 2.5 or higher on a 4.0 scales

• Have at least a 95% attendance record overall grades 9-12

• Perform at least 50 hours of unpaid tutoring or mentoring, of which 25% may include job shadowing prior to graduation 

• Maintain a good record of citizenship and avoid the unlawful use of drugs and/or alcohol while in grades 9-12

• Have achieved a score of proficient or advanced on the Algebra 1 end of course exam or a higher level DESE approved end of course exam in the field of mathematics  *Visit website for specifics*

If a student meets all the eligibility requirement except the end of course exam, they may establish eligibility by achieving a combined ACT math
sub score and high school GPA  according to the following:

ACT Math Score AND High School GPA
    17 or greater             2.5 or greater
          16     2.8 or greater
  15     3.0 or greater

For more information please visit the Department of Higher Education & Workforce Development's webpage  A+ Scholarship Program 

ACT - College and Career Readiness The ACT Test is an entrance exam used by most colleges and universities to make admission decisions, as a certain score is required to be able to apply.   It is a multiple-choice test than can either be taken online or with pencil and paper. Scores can determine whether a student is ready for college and/or if the student is eligible to enroll in dual credit courses.  Scores also  determine college and  university scholarship award amounts. Northwest High School administers the ACT free of charge during a  student's junior year on our high school campus. Many students take the ACT test numerous times to increase their scores thus increasing their opportunity to receive more scholarship funding. 

Students wanting to retake the test can take the ACT test at the State Fair Community College Testing Center.  The test is offered nationally every year in September, October, December, February, April, June and July.   Registration for the test is online. The deadline is approximately five weeks before each ACT date.  The test costs $60 which includes 4 sections.  Students that qualify for the district's free and reduced lunch program will qualify for a free test waiver which can be provided by the counselor's office. 

Below are two websites that offer great resources for college and career readiness. 

Dual Credit Courses Northwest High School offers students that qualify the opportunity of taking dual credit courses with State Fair Community College.  These courses are offered online and are available fall, spring and summer.  One of the advantages of students taking a  dual credit class is that they are receiving credit for both high school and college simultaneously.  The courses that we focus on at Northwest are Core 42 courses.  The goal of the CORE 42 is to facilitate the seamless transfer of academic credits.  The completion of any CORE 42 course at any public institution of higher education will transfer to every other public institution in the state.  Visit the Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development's website for further information concerning  CORE42 . If your student is interested to see if they qualify and can fit a course in their schedule please contact the high school counselor.

Eligibility requirements to take courses at State Fair Community College:

• Senior or junior with a 2.5 grade point average and permission from your counselor or principal, or

• Sophomore with a 3.0 equivalent grade point average and have permission from your counselor or principal, or

• Freshman with a 3.0 equivalent grade point average or better, and a subscore in the 90th percentile of a course's subject area, and permission from your counselor or principal; and

• Have appropriate placement scores for math, reading and writing on tests such as ACT,  Accuplacer, or Guided Self-Placement

• Permission of parent or guardian if younger than 18. 

For additional information on Dual Credit Courses at State Fair Community College please visit their website: Dual Credit .

Currently Missouri Offers a Dual Credit/Dual Enrollment Scholarship. High school students may be eligible to receive a scholarship that cover the tuition and fees for the dual credit or dual enrollment courses.  Eligibility is dependent upon:

• Being a US Citizen

•  Having a Minimum GPA 2.5

• Meeting an indicator of financial need

For more information visit: dhewd.mo.gov/ppc/grants/dcdeforstudents.htm 

Academic Scholarships During a student's senior year, there are multiple opportunities to apply for post secondary scholarships.  Generally in early fall the national scholarships will begin opening.  As the school year progresses, the scholarships available become more regional followed by those offered from the local community.  First and foremost the best scholarships are institutional scholarships, those that are from the institution the student is planning on attending.  These scholarships are usually determined by the student's grade point average and ACT score.  Many universities and colleges are not requiring an ACT score to be accepted, but to be eligible to apply for those institutional scholarships an ACT score most generally is required.

Local and  Regional Scholarships  Below is a Google Sheet with a listing of scholarships that were available for the 2022-2023 school year.  Scroll to the right and also to the bottom to access the ful listing of all information.  If available, please visit the organization's website for further information and dates. 

Sports Scholarships Students that are interested in continuing their sport after high school have opportunities to earn sports scholarships.  Award amounts differ widely among institutions.  The best way is for you student to contact their coach and let them know they are interested in pursing a sport scholarship.  Depending on the school chosen a student may need to register with Play NAIA Eligibility Center or the NCAA Eligibility Center . Another great resource is Hudl which coaches and recruiters use to find potential players.

Financial Aid Resources Pursuing higher education and training can be expensive. There are opportunities available to help offset this cost. 

FAFSA -  First and foremost is filling out the Free Application for Student Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA is a form to fill out to receive financial aid from the federal government.  This includes grants, work-study, and low interest loans.   Anyone planning on going to college in the next academic year should fill out the FAFSA. 

• • •  If you plan on using the A+ program to help with expenses a FAFSA will need to be on file. 

    • States and Colleges will use the FAFSA to determine which students get financial aid

    • Your family does not have to be low-income to qualify for assistance

If you need assistance in completing your FAFSA,  the financial aid department at your college or university of choice is a great resource!