How to Apply

The Cooke Young Scholars Program is a selective five-year, pre-college scholarship for high-performing 7th grade students with financial need. Educational advisers help Cooke Young Scholars maximize the high school experience and prepare to thrive at the nation’s top-performing colleges. Our programming and support includes:

• Identifying an appropriately rigorous high school.
• Engaging in four-year planning and goal-setting.
• Funding for academic and extracurricular opportunities, such as music and art lessons; supplemental academic classes; and technology.
• Annual summer programs, including two required Cooke Young Scholar events.
• Year-round interaction and networking with a community of high-achieving peers.

Cooke Scholars come from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds and from rural, suburban, and urban communities. Many scholars are the first in their families to pursue higher education.

To be considered for the Young Scholars Program, the applicant must meet the following eligibility requirements:

• Grade level: Entering 8th grade in the fall of 2020.
• Academics: Since the beginning of 6th grade, have earned grades of all or mostly A’s in school with no C’s or below in core academic subjects (English/Language Arts, Math, Science, Social Studies/History, Foreign Language).
• Income: Demonstrate unmet financial need. We will consider applicants with family income up to $95,000. Last year’s cohort of new Young Scholars had a median family income of approximately $43,000.
• Location: Reside in the U.S. or a U.S. territory and plan to attend high school in the U.S.

The application for the 2021 Cooke Young Scholars Program will be open to 7th grade students in winter 2021. Sign up to receive an email notification when the application opens:

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