The Coolidge Scholarship is an annual full-ride presidential scholarship that covers a student’s tuition, room, board, and expenses for four years of undergraduate study.
Anyone from any background and any academic discipline may apply to this non-partisan, need-blind program.
This scholarship is valid at any recognised college or university in the United States.
Level/Field of Study
This scholarship is only open to undergraduate students as only high school students can apply for this scholarship. There are no restrictions on the courses this scholarship can cover.
Host Nationality
Coolidge Scholarship is hosted by Coolidge in the United State for USA citizens and legal residents.
Eligibility for Coolidge Scholarship
The Coolidge Scholarship is only available to United States citizens and legal permanent residents. Citizens and legal permanent residents of the United States who are currently enrolled in high school in another country can also apply.
The 2024 scholarship is open to current high school juniors who plan to enter as full-time students for the first time in the fall of next year. There are no exceptions to this rule.
If you are in junior high school but taking some courses in college, you can also apply. However, you must confirm that you would be enrolled in college by the fall of next year.
Applicants for the 2022 Coolidge Scholarship must be an immediate family member of a current employee or trustee of the Coolidge Scholars Program or the Calvin Coolidge Presidential Foundation.
If you are related to a current employee or trustee of the Coolidge Scholars Program or the Calvin Coolidge Presidential Foundation, you are automatically ineligible even if you are a US citizen.
High school seniors are not eligible for the scholarship.
Academic excellence is the primary criterion that distinguishes Coolidge Scholars. Secondary considerations include a demonstrated interest in public policy; an appreciation for the values Coolidge championed; and humility, service, and leadership.
Requirements to Apply for the Coolidge Scholarship
The following are compulsory for the Coolidge Scholarship:
- Form of Application
- PSAT Score, SAT/ACT Score Cards
- All AP courses must be listed on the transcript.
- Two different essays. One should be no more than 600 words and the other should be no more than 800 words. Once you begin the process, you will be provided prompts.
- A two-page CV detailing any previous work and the experience achieved. Include any relevant facts and potential career choices.
- 2 letters of recommendation A teacher must write one letter, and another must come from a community member who knows you well but is not related to you.
How to Apply for the Coolidge Scholarship
Application is done on the designated scholarship portal. Click here to access it. Head on there, create an account and apply.
Selection Process
During your junior year of high school, you apply for the Coolidge Scholarship. Finalists are flown in for a weekend of interviews with the Coolidge Scholars Finalist Jury at the Coolidge Historic Site in Plymouth Notch, Vermont. Coolidge Scholarship recipients are notified of their award in late May of their junior year, before applying to colleges.
Scholarship Award
This scholarship is a fully-funded scholarship that covers all your academic costs which include tuition, room, board, and expenses for four years of undergraduate study.
When is the Coolidge Scholarship due?
For this kind of opportunity, you don’t want to miss any deadlines. Keep track of when everything is due, and you won’t have to worry about missing a deadline.
In October, the application will be open to all high school juniors for the first time. You’ll have five months until the deadline in February. Every applicant will be notified of their status by early summer.
If you are chosen as a finalist, you will be contacted by phone, so there is no need to keep checking the online application portal. All you can do once the deadline has passed is wait and hope that you’ve done your best.
How Many Students Apply for the Coolidge Scholarship
The Coolidge Scholarship attracts over 2,000 students each year from all 50 states.
How Competitive is Coolidge Scholarship
The Coolidge application, like most rigorous scholarship programs, is a competitive and difficult test. However, putting up a lot of effort pays off handsomely! Remember that everything you submit will be reviewed, so only submit something that you are satisfied with.
This scholarship is a very competitive one. Apart from the fact that there are interviews and the rest in the selection process, all US citizens in junior high, even in the diaspora, are eligible.
Is the Coolidge Scholarship Worth it
This scholarship is a full-tuition scholarship that covers all your academic costs. Yes, it is worth it
Conclusion
A distinguished academic record is required of Coolidge scholars. Competitive candidates will have undertaken and completed the most challenging course of study available. The academic depth and intellectual interest will be demonstrated by the awardees. When it comes to the Coolidge Scholarship, depth is just as important as breadth. The passion for scientific and intellectual endeavours among Coolidge winners extends beyond the classroom. A Coolidge Scholar is defined by more than just their credentials. A good example is Jonas Salk, the father of the polio vaccine. Salk excelled in school to the point of skipping grades. He was, nevertheless, intellectually curious, noting, “I was not interested in science as a child.” I was just concerned with human affairs.
Coolidge studied public policy from his childhood in Plymouth Notch to his years in the White House. As a result, this scholarship is looking for young citizens who are interested in policy. However, the award is not limited to those who aim to pursue degrees in subjects such as public policy or government. This prize, on the contrary, honours all academic specialities. Candidates should also show an understanding of and respect for the ideals that President Coolidge promoted throughout his life. Civility, enterprise, government thrift, federalism, and constitutional government are examples of such ideals. Coolidge Scholars, like the president, will be involved in current events. Coolidge Scholars, like Coolidge, are always courteous, preferring respectful argument to partisan attack.
Leaders in the Coolidge tradition are known for their humility. “It is a great advantage to a President, and a major source of safety to the country, for him to know that he is not a great man,” Coolidge said in his memoirs. The Coolidge Scholarship is awarded to young people who demonstrate a sense of service and concern for others’ well-being. Americans assisting their communities and fellow residents were highly valued by Coolidge. The Coolidge Scholarship looks for young individuals who are dedicated to making a difference in their communities. Genuine service that makes a difference is appreciated by the Coolidge Scholarship over ambitious initiatives that a young person may not be well-positioned to accomplish.
Often, rather than founding their group, a young person can best contribute by participating in existing efforts. Other rewards are given to high school students who have accumulated leadership qualifications. This award is given to students who excel in high school and have the potential to lead later in life. A strong candidate is a young person who prefers to work alone yet has demonstrated the ability to perform groundbreaking research, for example. This scholarship is open to introverts.