Acceleration to Excellence Program (AEP)
The Acceleration to Excellence Program (AEP) Scholarships are merit awards covering up to the full cost of tuition for outstanding students who apply during the 10th or 11th grade. Home school students with well-documented academic histories and students who have skipped grades are welcome to apply; students fitting these descriptions must be the age of the typical 10th or 11th grader. Our faculty selects recipients based on academic excellence, extracurricular distinction, personal motivation, and character. The AEP application deadline is February 1. By the conclusion of 10th grade, most AEP applicants have completed at least two years each of English, mathematics (including geometry and algebra II), science, social studies, and a foreign language; applicants entering the College after the 11th grade typically have completed three or more years of each subject. The most highly qualified AEP applicants will be invited to attend AEP Day in early April and will have the opportunity to receive one of the College’s most substantial merit awards. Applicants who miss the AEP application deadline can still apply for regular admission.
Elizabeth Blodgett Hall and Livingston Hall Scholarships
Full tuition scholarships awarded through the Acceleration to Excellence Program are named in honor of the College’s founder and her husband. Awards cover the full cost of tuition and fees for two years of attendance at Simon’s Rock. Continuation of the scholarship during the sophomore year is dependent upon maintaining good social standing, a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better, and satisfactory academic progress. See above for eligibility criteria.
Nadiri AliKhan Memorial Scholarship
Following the graduation of their daughter, Loren ’99, this endowed scholarship was established by Dr. Mahmood AliKhan and his wife, Linda, in memory of his mother. The scholarship is given annually to a first-year student selected through the Acceleration to Excellence Program. Students who continue to meet the requirements of the AEP by maintaining good academic and social standing and making positive contributions to the campus community will automatically retain their scholarships for their sophomore year. Continuation of the scholarship during the sophomore year is dependent upon maintaining good social standing, a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better, and satisfactory academic progress.
Other Scholarships for New Students
W.E.B. Du Bois Scholarships
The W.E.B. Du Bois Scholarships meet a significant portion of the financial need of eligible students of color who apply during the 10th or 11th grade and have a record of academic achievement and motivation. Du Bois Scholarships are renewable for four years of study at Simon’s Rock. To remain eligible for renewal of the W.E.B. Du Bois Scholarship, a student must maintain a cumulative grade point average of 2.7 as of the end of each year at Simon’s Rock.
Berkshire Regional Scholarships
The Berkshire Regional Scholarships provide merit-based awards equal to 40 percent of tuition to students from 14 surrounding counties. In Massachusetts, eligible counties are: Berkshire, Franklin, Hampden, and Hampshire; in Connecticut: Hartford, and Litchfield; in New York: Albany, Columbia, Dutchess, Greene, Rensselaer, and Ulster; and in Vermont: Bennington and Windham.
At the time of application, applicants must be in at least the 10th grade or its equivalent, have a strong academic record, and be under age 19. Students whose families reside within commuting distance may choose to live at home. Students are also eligible for federal and state grants and loans that can cover up to the full cost of attendance. To remain eligible for the Berkshire Regional Scholarship, a student must maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.7 as of the end of each year at Simon’s Rock.
Alumni Referral Scholarships
The Alumni Referral Scholarships are awarded to entering first-year students who were referred to the College by a current student or an alumna/us of Simon’s Rock. These scholarships of $1,000 each are renewable for up to four years of study. A student may receive a maximum of one Alumni Referral Scholarship award, regardless of the number of current students or alumni who referred the incoming student to the College.
Mullaney Scholarship
The Mullaney Corporation Scholarship was established in 2000 by David Mullaney, the general contractor for the Fisher Science and Academic Center, the Alumni Library, and the Kilpatrick Athletic Center. It is awarded annually to a first-year student from Massachusetts on the basis of need and merit.
The Vince Finisdore Family Scholarship Fund
Established in 2006 by Marcia Finisdore, mother of alumna Susan Finisdore Higgins ’81, this endowed scholarship fund provides scholarship assistance to students who qualify under normal College procedures for financial aid and who have a hearing loss as measured by professional audiological testing. The award, which is not intended to pay for legally required services, may be continued from year to year as long as the recipient maintains satisfactory progress toward a Simon’s Rock AA or BA degree.
Reed Scholarship
Reed Scholars are entering students for whom Simon’s Rock represents a particularly life-changing opportunity and who would otherwise be unable to assume the financial burden of paying for college.
Riversville Scholarship
The Riversville Foundation, which partners with select institutions to provide financial support for African American U.S. citizens with solid academic potential and financial need, identified Simon’s Rock in 2007 as the thirteenth institution of higher education with which they will work. The Foundation provides Simon’s Rock with funds to award a small number of scholarships each year.
Simon’s Rock Grants
Simon’s Rock grants are awarded annually to new and returning students on the basis of need. They may be renewed each year provided a student maintains good academic and social standing.