Illinois State Scholar Scholarships

Being named an Illinois State Scholar is a significant honor for any student living in the Prairie State. But what is an Illinois State Scholar? Does it come with any scholarships or other monetary rewards? The Illinois State Scholar award is not a scholarship program, but it can open many doors for recipients. There are many aspects of the Illinois State Scholar program, including the requirements for earning the award, how to apply and information about scholarships.

The Illinois Student Assistance Commission, also known as ISAC, explains that it chooses the Illinois State Scholars. Is the Illinois Student Assistance Commission legit? It is legitimate, and it is a high honor to be named one of its scholars.

Illinois State Scholars are chosen from more than 200 high schools throughout the state. The commission chooses students it thinks will be highly successful in their college studies and beyond. It bases its decisions on standardized test scores, especially the SAT and ACT exams. It also looks at the academic record, specifically grade point average and unweighted class rank after the sixth semester of high school (second semester of junior year).

Illinois State Scholars receive a certificate of achievement and a congratulatory letter. ISAC also publicizes the names of its annual recipients, and award winners are usually featured in state and local news stories. To become an Illinois State Scholar, you'll need to meet the stringent requirements.

You do not need to apply to be considered an Illinois State Scholar. All students enrolled in high schools throughout the state are automatically entered as potential scholars. ISAC automatically receives test scores from the SAT and ACT for state students, and since the test scores are numeric, it's an easy way to establish a pool of finalists for the award. The commission then gathers more information about those students with high test scores. Scores are taken from test results during the fourth and fifth semesters.

The selection of Illinois State Scholars is primarily based on numbers, and very little subjective information is considered. That means that extracurricular activities and athletic achievements aren't determinants. After selections have been made based on test scores, ISAC gathers grade point averages and class ranks from high schools. GPAs are unweighted, and class rankings are measured against class size.

There is no limit to the number of students who can be named Illinois State Scholars since there isn't a monetary gift attached to the designation. That means that all qualifying students will receive the award regardless of whether they were even aware that it existed.

According to the Illinois Student Assistance Commission, there is no scholarship award attached to the Illinois State Scholar designation. However, it is a significant achievement and will bolster any scholarship application you submit. The state of Illinois specially recognizes this designation within the state, which means that it increases your likelihood of being chosen for Illinois State University scholarships.

The state of Illinois itself awards several student scholarships to help residents pay for college. You will want to work closely with your high school guidance counselor to find all the scholarships for which you are eligible. Once you select a college, work with its financial aid office to maximize your grants and pay for your education. If you're interested in becoming an Illinois State Scholar, you'll need to begin working hard early in your high school career. It opens many doors, meaning your hard work will pay off in the end.