<p>I just sent an email requesting an application package from my state's representative for the Robert C. Byrd Scholarship program. My dad told me about it, so I just said "what the hell" and looked everything up this morning and then requested a package. Surprisingly, the "FAQs" section of the website is not working...does anybody know anything about this scholarship, besides that it's a federal merit scholarship?</p>
<p>It’s a great scholarship, 1.5k/yr for 4 yrs, each state administers the scholarship differently. What else do you want to know?</p>
<p>It has a brief Wikipedia entry:</p>
<p>The Robert C. Byrd Honors Scholarship Program is a federally-funded and state-administered merit-based scholarship program in the United States.</p>
<p>It is designed to recognize exceptionally able high school seniors who show promise of continued excellence in postsecondary education. The United States Department of Education’s Office of Postsecondary Education awards funds to state education agencies, which award scholarships (also known as Byrd Honors Scholarships) to eligible applicants. Students receive scholarship funds which are to go towards college expenses.</p>
<p>The Byrd Honors Scholarships were established in 1985, providing $1,500 nonrenewable scholarships to eligible students. In 1993, the program was expanded to allow students who successfully completed their first year of college to reapply for stipends for the following three years. This brought the scholarship to its current value of $6,000 over four years.[1] To pay for the over 27,000 scholars supported by the program, appropriations for the program have been near $40,000,000 annually.[2]</p>
<p>Each state sets the criteria for awarding the Byrd Honors Scholarships in addition to federal requirements. In any case, all applicants must be high school graduates who:
have been accepted for enrollment at institutions of higher education(IHEs) in the United States;
have demonstrated outstanding academic achievement;
and who show promise of continued academic excellence.</p>
<p>References:</p>
<p>[1] Byrd.senate.gov
[2] Ed.gov</p>
<p>I think you need to talk to your school counselor. In our state -ga- each school can nominate one candidate, but you have to be nominated by your school. The state selects based on a point allotment system- points for sat (total divided by 100), points for numeric gpa, and points for an essay written about a life experience(0-60). My s turned in the essay last week- the school already knows everyone’s gpa and sat scores. We will be notified shortly as to which student is nominated by the school. Then that student will have to complete the state application by sometime in Feb. I do not know the exact number but a significant amount are awarded to each state. Good luck!</p>
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<p>That’s why you have to go to the website and contact whatever agency in your state is in charge of it. </p>
<p>For instance, in our state the HS has absolutely nothing to do with the Byrd. Kids apply on line through a state wide scholarship website where they list activities, reply to essays, etc. Our deadline is in March.</p>
<p>GO TO THE BYRD WEBSITE AND CONTACT THE AGENCY IN CHARGE OF YOUR STATE TO FIND OUT HOW TO APPLY.</p>
<p>Yes I already did that, but since I did it yesterday I assume that my NH representative won’t get the email until tomorrow. I hope I don’t have to get elected by my school, because there are a few kids who have better stats than I do. We’ll see. It’s worth it just to apply</p>
<p>I got the package in the mail yesterday with a scholy letter from UVM haha. But in the package it says “counselors please only hand these out to students ranked first or second in their class.” i’m in the top 40 kids out of 400 but def not that good. Is it even worth completing it?</p>
<p>It doesn’t sound like it, but to be sure, ask your GC.</p>