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Scholarships

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Students and parents/guardians can click here to join the Scholarship News ParentSquare group.

Looking for Scholarships?

Financial help for post-secondary studies can come from a few different sources:

  1. Merit Scholarships: Scholarships from an individual institution based on Academic or Performance Criteria
  2. Need-Based Scholarships and Grants: Scholarships from an individual institution based on Financial Need demonstrated by FAFSA completion
  3. Philanthropic Scholarship: Scholarships from for-profit and non-profit organizations based on application requirements

For Merit and Need-Based Scholarships, students need to research and meet all individual application deadlines and requirements set by each institution. Please visit the institution's Scholarship and/or Financial Aid webpages for more information. In most cases, this means meeting an early admissions deadline to be eligible for Merit Scholarships.

For Philanthropic Scholarships, students can utilize a variety of scholarship databases and search tools to locate scholarship opportunities. Any Philanthropic Scholarship opportunities that are communicated to staff at CHS are shared in “Scholarship News” ParentSquare Group. As scholarship information is available, the Guidance Department will post the information here periodically. The easiest way to find the "Scholarship News" group is to search for available groups on ParentSquare and select "join" next to the group name.

Please note that the "Scholarship News" does not include all college-specific scholarships. Students should consult individual websites for scholarships specific to each college/university.

It is the responsibility of the interested student to follow through with the pursuit of any scholarships; that is, to request any needed additional information and/or application forms, to complete the application process, and to meet all deadlines. Students should see their unit counselor if assistance is needed.

Basic Scholarship Information

Information about a number of scholarships is sent to Centerville High School each year by the sponsoring organizations. In an attempt to inform students and parents about these scholarships, this page is updated throughout the year. Please check this page periodically.

Scholarships listed are for current seniors unless otherwise noted. CHS cannot provide a complete list of all available scholarships. Scholarships other than those listed here may also be available. It is wise to check all resources.

Information dealing with scholarships offered by a college or university can be found on the individual websites of those respective schools.

It is the responsibility of the interested student to follow through with the pursuit of any scholarships; that is, to request any needed additional information and/or application forms, to complete the application process, and to meet all deadlines. Students should see their unit counselor if assistance is needed.

Scholarship Tips

  1. Meet the deadline – a day late is too late.
  2. Ask someone to look over your application packet to be sure you filled in all required blanks and signatures.
  3. Type your essay and be sure you addressed the topic completely. Don’t expect to write a good essay in five minutes. Write, rewrite, and then read your essay aloud. You don’t have to have grand aspirations to write a good essay. Write about realistic goals and plans.
  4. Ask for reference letters early. Asking a teacher or employer to write a letter two days before the scholarship deadline is too risky. You don't want to depend on someone else making YOUR deadline. Reference letters should always be typed and include the name, address, phone number, and relationship of the recommender.
  5. Prepare an outline of the following:
  • Academic achievement
  • Extracurricular activities
  • Volunteer/community service
  • Jobs/employment

 

State of Ohio's Governor's Merit Scholarship

Governor DeWine and the Ohio Legislature recently established the Governor’s Merit Scholarship (GMS) program which provides up to $5,000/year in financial assistance to Ohio colleges and universities to students who were in the top 5% of their class at the end of their third year of high school. 

The objectives of the GMS are to:

  • Reduce financial barriers preventing Ohio’s top high school graduates from pursuing higher education; 

  • Recognize the impressive scholastic achievement of Ohio’s top graduates; and

  • Incentivize Ohio’s high achieving high school students to attend an institution of higher education (IHE) in Ohio. 

The scholarship is based on the student’s GPA at the end of their third year of high school. After the school year ends, the state will open the GMS portal and announce how many names we may submit.  At that time, we will run a GPA list and enter the eligible names in the portal.  The state will notify the eligible students and provide directions for applying for the scholarship.   Additional information about this scholarship can be found here

Local Scholarship Night for the Class of 2025 will be May 15, 2025, at 7 PM, in the Central Theatre.

Local scholarships are offered by numerous Centerville organizations and community groups and are not sponsored by CHS. Applications will be released in late February 2025 and are typically due in the beginning of April.

There will be a Local Scholarship Night to honor recipients on May 15, 2024, and recipients of the Local Scholarships and their families will receive invitations in early May.

Beware of Scholarship Scams!

Don’t be cheated out of your money by someone promising too-good-to-be-true offers of financial aid! Each year some families of students applying to college are victimized by scam artists posing as counselors who guarantee financial aid, scholarships, and grants to students for an up-front finder’s fee. Before you hand over any of your money, see if your counselor passes this test: 

  • Is he or she guaranteeing results?
  • Is an up-front fee required?
  • Is he or she offering to do the work for you?

If the answer to any of these questions is YES, you may be dealing with a fraudulent scheme. Be wary. These scams are usually advertised in campus newspapers, flyers, direct mail, and on the web. Don’t become the next victim. Call 1-800-876-7060 for a free check from the National Fraud Information Center.