Application for Cooke Young Scholars Program open

Lansdowne, VA – The Jack Kent Cooke Foundation’s 2022 Young Scholars Program application is now open. This competitive pre-college scholarship provides educational support for high-achieving students with financial need. From 8th to 12th grade, Cooke Young Scholars receive funding for academic and extracurricular activities, as well as individualized educational advising. 

“It’s more important than ever for young students to receive support inside and outside the classroom,” said Executive Director Seppy Basili. “Through the Cooke Young Scholars Program, we are able to provide that comprehensive support to some of the nation’s most eager young minds.” 

The program accepts about 50 Cooke Young Scholars who demonstrate curiosity, passion, and drive each year. Scholars are paired with a Cooke Foundation educational adviser, who works with the family to create an individualized learning plan (ILP). Scholars also engage in community-building program experiences with their cohort, including First Summer, a three-week project-based program for 9th graders during which Scholars take advanced courses in an area of their choosing and collaborate with their peers to develop a plan for a nonprofit around their common interests. 

After graduating high school, Cooke Young Scholars are eligible to apply for the Cooke College Scholarship and receive up to $55,000 a year to attend an accredited four-year college or university.   

Last year, 60 high-achieving students with financial need were selected as Cooke Young Scholars. They represent 25 states and are recognized for their achievements in robotics, math, music, writing, and public policy. They are leaders in their community, and are taking accelerated courses in STEM, humanities, and languages, grade levels above their peers. 

Eligible applicants for the Young Scholars Program will:  

-Be current 7th graders, entering 8th grade in the fall of 2022.  

-Have earned grades of mostly A’s since the sixth grade, with no C’s or below in core academic subjects (English/language arts, math, science, social studies/history, foreign language).  

-Demonstrate unmet financial need. We will consider applicants with family income up to $95,000. During the selection process, the Foundation will conduct a full financial review which will take into account all income and assets of the student and the student’s parents. The median family income of last year’s entering cohort of Cooke Young Scholars was approximately $40,000 

-Reside in the United States or a U.S. territory and plan to attend high school in the United States.  

The application is open until May 9, 2022 at 11:59 p.m. in your local time zone. Read this blog post for some tips on submitting a successful application. 

Learn more about the scholarship program or apply now: www.jkcf.org/ysp.  

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The Cooke Foundation is dedicated to advancing the education of exceptionally promising students who have financial need. Since 2000, the Foundation has awarded $230 million in scholarships to nearly 3,000 students from 8th grade through graduate school, along with comprehensive counseling and other support services. The Foundation has also provided $120 million in grants to organizations that serve such students. For more information about The Cooke Foundation, please visit: http://www.jkcf.org