Criteria for getting college scholarships in Georgia?

I'm a junior from Georgia and wondering about the scholarship situation here. What kind of criteria do local organizations or colleges in Georgia typically look for when awarding scholarships?

Each college scholarship in Georgia has its unique set of eligibility criteria, mainly based on academic excellence, extracurricular involvement, leadership experience, service to the community, or financial need. However, the specifics will vary greatly across different scholarships. Here are some common themes that come up frequently:

1. Residency: Many scholarships in Georgia require that you be a state resident or have graduated from a Georgia high school.

2. Academic Excellence: Merit scholarships often take into consideration your GPA, SAT or ACT scores, class rank, and rigor of your course load. The excelling student must also exhibit potential for future success.

3. Field of Study/ Career Interest: Some scholarships focus on students interested in specific fields like STEM, education, business, nursing, etc.

4. Financial Need: Many scholarships also consider socioeconomic status and require applicants to demonstrate financial need. These typically ask for information about your household income and might need you to submit a FAFSA or CSS Profile.

5. Personal Characteristics: This can include elements like being a first-generation college student, being from a specific ethnic or racial group, having certain religious affiliations, or being a single parent.

6. Miscellaneous Factors: Scholarships may also look at other factors like military service, overcoming adversity, leadership in community service, or participation in certain clubs or organizations.

One well-known local scholarship is the HOPE Scholarship, which requires that recipients graduate from a Georgia high school with a minimum 3.0 GPA.

Another example is the Zell Miller Scholarship, which is very merit-focused—recipients should graduate from an eligible Georgia high school as the Valedictorian or the Salutatorian or with a minimum 3.7 GPA combined with a minimum SAT score of 1200 or ACT composite score of 26 in a single test administration.

Every scholarship is different, so it's vital to research each one's criteria thoroughly before applying. Also, getting in touch with your high school counselor or the financial aid office at the colleges you're interested in can provide more insight into local scholarships.