Lake County Gazette

High school seniors in Granite City Community Unit School District 9 are being encouraged to begin their college and scholarship application process as deadlines approach for a range of opportunities. The district, which serves Madison County and includes several schools such as Granite City High School and Coolidge Junior High School, has issued guidance on how students can apply for colleges and scholarships this fall and winter (https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/).

The bulletin outlines the steps required for college applications, including completing online forms, requesting official ACT or SAT scores be sent to chosen institutions, and using www.parchment.com to send transcripts.

Students are reminded that many colleges require applicants to have already been accepted before they can apply for scholarships. Some scholarship and application deadlines are as early as November 1. Additionally, a FAFSA Completion Workshop will be offered at the high school’s Media Center in October 2025.

A list of recommended scholarship websites is provided, including www.studentscholarships.org, www.finaid.org, www.studentaid.gov, www.grants.gov, https://www.isac.org/e-library/applying-for-financial-aid/scholarship-searches.html, and others.

Ten tips for applying to scholarships are included in the bulletin. Students are advised: "SEARCH! Persistence is the key to getting a scholarship." Other advice includes being organized with applications, understanding eligibility requirements carefully, using concrete examples in essays, watching deadlines closely, applying early and widely for scholarships, and proofreading applications thoroughly.

The bulletin also warns against scams: "If you must pay money to get money, it might be a scam." Examples of possible scams include offers that guarantee a scholarship or requests for credit card information.

Several specific scholarships with upcoming deadlines are highlighted:

- Golden Apple Scholars of Illinois provides tuition assistance up to $5,000 per year for students pursuing teaching careers at high-need schools.

- Southern Illinois University Edwardsville offers multiple awards such as the Cougar Pride Scholarship (up to $16,000 over four years), Johnetta Haley Scholarship (up to $8,000), Meridian Scholarships (for students with an ACT of 27 or higher), SIUE Grant (for students with family incomes at or below federal poverty guidelines), and AIM High Grant ($2,500 per year).

- AES Scholarship Program awards $500 based on essay submissions; deadline is October 8.

- McDonald’s HACER National Scholarship Program supports Hispanic students with awards ranging from $5,000 up to $100,000; applications open October 1.

- McKendree University offers Honor’s Scholarships ($17,000 per year), Presidential Scholarships ($14,000 per year), Dean’s Scholarships ($10,000 per year), and leadership awards.

- Army ROTC scholarships may cover up to full tuition for eligible students who join the program.

- Heisman High School Scholarship recognizes student leaders who participate in sports.

- Big Futures Scholarship gives students chances at monthly drawings by completing college planning steps; deadline is October 31.

- Voice of Democracy Program from Veterans of Foreign Wars provides nearly $2.1 million annually through an audio essay competition; deadline is October 31.

Other highlighted opportunities include the Stephen J. Brady STOP Hunger Scholarships (November 5 deadline), Elks National Foundation Most Valuable Student Scholarships (November 12 deadline), Jack Kent Cooke Foundation College Scholarship Program (November 12 deadline), DAR Good Citizens award (applications accepted November through January), Ron Brown Scholar Program (December 1 deadline) focusing on African-American high school seniors making community contributions.

Additional university-specific programs mentioned include Southeast Missouri State University’s Cooper Dome Scholarship and President’s Scholarship; UMSL Opportunity Scholars Program targeting first-generation college students; Eastern Illinois University merit-based Presidential Scholarships; NACME engineering scholarships supporting underrepresented minorities; Alton Pride LGBTQ+ community-focused scholarships; Profile in Courage Essay Contest from JFK Library; among others.

Granite City Community Unit School District 9 serves a diverse student population—65.3 percent White, 15.9 percent Black, 11.7 percent Hispanic—and spent $17,739 per student in fiscal year 2020 with total expenditures exceeding $106 million (https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/). According to state data there are more than three hundred teachers employed by the district earning an average salary of nearly $68 thousand per year before pension contributions (https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/).

The district encourages all seniors to research available opportunities promptly due to varying application deadlines throughout late fall into early spring.