<p>Anyone familiar with these? Are they prestigious?</p>
<p>Thanks.</p>
<p>It is worth $6,000.
But your school has to nominate the kids. At least in our school district only two kids get nominated base don their GPA and SAT or ACT scores.</p>
<p>The reason I ask is because we just found out my D received one. Should we inform her waitlist schools?</p>
<p>I got nominated for one. you have to be in the top 5 percent of your class, and have a certain relatively low act/sat score. After that its just a random drawing (by county I think)</p>
<p>Sure, you might as well inform the waitlists. They are national scholarships named for Senator Byrd from W Va. IJ is correct in the above post. In order for students to continue to get them for all four years, Congress has to fund them, which they do, seemingly begrudgingly, as they are usually denied at first, and then funded a few months later. That is what happened, again, this year.</p>
<p>jrm,</p>
<p>What do you mean by low SAT/ACT ?</p>
<p>Are you saying that kids with high scores are not chosen?</p>
<p>Eligibility</p>
<p>Who May Apply: (by category) Individuals</p>
<p>Who May Apply: (specifically) High school graduates who have been accepted for enrollment at institutions of higher education (IHEs), have demonstrated outstanding academic achievement, and show promise of continued academic excellence may apply to states in which they are residents. The Department provides grant funds to states on a formula basis.</p>
<p>An eligible student applicant must, during the same secondary academic year in which the scholarship is to be awarded: (1) be a graduate of a public or private secondary school or have received the recognized equivalent of a high school diploma (GED); (2) be a legal resident of the State in which he or she applies; (3) be a U.S. citizen or national of the United States or have evidence from the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service that he or she is a permanent resident or is in the United States for other than a temporary purpose; (4) has applied or been accepted for enrollment at an institution of higher education; (5) certify that he or she is not ineligible to receive assistance as a result of default on a Federal student loan or other obligation; and (6) file, with the school that he or she plans to attend, a Statement of Selective Service Registration Status. A student attending a military academy is ineligible to receive a Byrd scholarship.</p>
<p>I think the process depends on state- in Michigan, my letter said that each school got one nomination, to be determined by some formula taking standardized testing and class rank into account. And mine only was for $1,500, if I'm remembering correctly.</p>
<p>EDIT: OK, I just did some background research, and they're renewable. Good to know.</p>
<p>This is the only government-sponsored academic merit scholarship. Yes, I think it's prestigious. Please note that states set the criteria for selection, so it's a bit variable.</p>
<p>Do all the states find out at the same time? I'm from New York; does anyone know if the names have been released yet?</p>
<p>Also, do they contact the winner's school or the winner him/herself?</p>
<p>Both. I got a letter, and my school got a letter letting them know that I got a letter.</p>
<p>I suppose this could vary by state, too, but it would make more sense to do it this way.</p>
<p>CollegeMom08:
How did you find out? We are also waiting for this decision. I do not know about prestige, but it's definitely money.</p>
<p>CityMom:</p>
<p>We got a letter in the mail from the Department of Education for our state congratulating her as a scholarship recipient. I think we received it @ May 1 and it was dated April 29th, I believe. </p>
<p>And yes. Money is GOOD, with or without prestige!!</p>
<p>Each state has its own notification dates. Texas does not notify until early June. Only recipients are notified, which caused some awkwardness for my daughter.</p>
<p>once you're "nominated" or whatever based on the rankings, how do they determine who actually gets it? and what's the highest number ranking you can get?</p>
<p>My guidance counselor has offered to nominate me, but I'm in a confusing position: I'm a legal resident of MA, but I attend a private school in CT. I've tried calling/contacting my DoE in MA, but no response. Am I ineligible for the scholarship?</p>
<p>singermom,
no, its just one of the requirements was to have a certain act/sat score or above, but it wasn't even close to a problem for anyone in the top 5% (I think the ACT was a 23 or something)</p>
<p>I also think it depends on the state, this is how it works in pennsylvania.</p>
<p>trackie10x - depends on what state you are in. Try googling "(name of state) Byrd Scholarship" to see if you can find the information. Texas does not publish its calculations, which are based on rank, GPA, and SAT scores.</p>