The Dream Big Graduating High School Senior Scholarships are awarded to San Antonio area students that are currently enrolled in a San Antonio and surrounding area high school and will continue their education at a four-year college/university, junior/community college, or trade/vocational school in the Fall.
NOTE: If you have completed at least one year of post-high school education, you should apply for our Dream Big College Scholarship.
Students are selected and awarded by our committee based on their educational achievements, community involvement, leadership skills, financial need, and the ability to follow the explicit instructions in this application.
Eligibility is determined by your GPA, your responses to the essay section of this application (scored by our scholarship committee), your demonstrated commitment to serving the community, and your EFC Score (Financial need).
REQUIREMENTS
To qualify for a Dream Big Graduating High School Senior Scholarship, the applicant MUST be a senior currently attending a San Antonio area high school, additional requirements are as follows:
High school students must have earned a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 for grades 10 through 12 and demonstrate a promise of continued academic achievement. (Must Provide college acceptance letter)
Completed a minimum of 16 hours of documented community service within the last year. You must provide a signed document from the organization(s) served explicitly confirming the number of hours volunteered.
Provide Two original signed letters of recommendation from teachers, counselors, principals, community and/or civic leaders, or pastors. An unsigned letter is invalid.
Please note that applicants must apply to the Free Application for Federal Student Aid or FAFSA and have received back an Expected Family Contribution Score (EFC Score) in their Student Aid Report (SAR). This score is critical for determining your economic need. Students can start an application process at fafsa.ed.gov. Please be aware that FAFSA may require several weeks to process your application.
Additional Requirements
1. Must provide a recent headshot photo. (Attach to application)
2. Only one (1) scholarship can be awarded annually to a member of the same family.
3. No more than four (4) scholarship awards will be made to members of the same family in any five-year period.
4. By accepting a Dream Big scholarship, you agree that you will attend the mandatory scholarship awardee orientation and 2 college readiness workshops.
Students must address the following topics in their applications:
Personal Statement (Tell us about yourself)
Educational/Personal Achievements
Leadership Experience
Extracurricular Activities
Community Involvement
Academic Goals
Future Plans and Goals
Financial Need
NOTE: You can submit your application before your transcripts and supporting documents are received. However, understand that your application will not be placed into the queue for review until all of your required documents (official transcripts, confirmation of community service, letters of recommendation, and FAFSA SAR Report) are received. Once you begin the application, you can save it to finish later.
Do not wait until the last minute. You have until 11:59 PM PT on April 20, 2023, to complete your application. We cannot grant deadline extensions if you miss this deadline. If you do miss the deadline, mark your calendar for next year; we offer scholarships during the same season every year.