College Scholarships

College Financial Aid is intended to help students pay education-related expenses (tuition, room and board, transportation, books, and other fees) while attending college.  Click here for a brief financial aid overview.

Need-based Aid can come in the form of grants (gift money) or loans (money that needs to be paid back).  In order to receive this type of financial aid from the federal government, students and families complete and submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or the FAFSA, in the student’s senior year of high school. Individual colleges/universities may also offer need-based aid to students. Some schools will require a student to complete the CSS PROFILE in order to determine a need-based aid award. Click here for a list of participating institutions. While the FAFSA is free, there is a fee to submit the CSS PROFILE. Check the financial aid application requirements for your prospective colleges to see if and when you must complete this form.

Merit Aid is awarded to students who have an exemplary academic record, as based on GPA and/or standardized test scores. Individual colleges/universitites distribute these funds as available to them.

Scholarships are a form of grant, or gift aid that are available to graduating seniors. Some of these scholarships on this page are open only to BMCHS students, while others are available to local/Northern Nevada students or on a national level. Click here for more tips to search for scholarships. National scholarship search engines (e.g., College Board, FastWeb, CollegeNet, Scholarships.com).

Underclassmen Award Opportunities

The Coolidge Scholarship
Eligible classes: Grade 11 ONLY
Deadline: January 23, 2019 at 5pm EST
Awards: Full-ride, presidential scholarship covering tuition, room & board, and expenses for four years of undergraduate study at any American college or university (3 awards/year)
Description: This is a NATIONAL, highly competitive competition. The primary criterion is academic excellence. Secondary criterion include: demonstrate interest in public policy, and appreciation for the values Coolidge championed (humility & service). Finalists are flown to Vermont for an interview weekend in the spring and recipients of the scholarship are notified late in their junior year – before college applications are to be submitted. More information.

2019 Profile in Courage Essay Contest
Eligible classes: Grades 9-12
Deadline: January 18, 2019
Awards: First place (1) $10,000; Second place (1) $3,000; Finalist (5) $1,000; Semifinalist (8) $500; Honorable Mention (10)
Description: Essay of 700-1,000 words on the following topic: Describe and analyze an act of political courage by a U.S. elected official who served during or after 1917, the year John F. Kennedy was born. Include an analysis of the obstacles, risks, and consequences associated with the act. The essay may concern an issue at the local, state, national, or international level. More information.

2019 AFSA National High School Essay Contest
Eligible classes: Grades 9-12
Deadline: March 15, 2019 at 11:59pm EDT
Awards: Winner: $2,500, a trip to Washington, D.C., to meet a member of the State Department’s leadership, full scholarship for a Semester at Sea educational voyage. Runner-up: $1,250 and a full scholarship to attend the International Diplomacy Program of the National Student Leadership Conference.
Description: In a 1,000-1,250 word essay identify two cases – one you deem successful and on you deem unsuccessful – where the US pursued an integrated approach to build peace in a conflict-affected country. Analyze and compare these two cases. More information.

QuestBridge College Prep Scholars Program: 

Eligible classes: High-achieving high school juniors from low-income backgrounds (family of four earning less than $65,000/year)

Deadline: March 20, 2019

Awards may include: Full scholarships to summer programs at Stanford, Yale, and more; laptops and campus visits; admissions conferences; college essay feedback. Click here for more information and to apply.

Snow’s Women’s Auxiliary “Making a Difference” Scholarship Recognition Award

Due: April 25, 2019

For Graduating Students

Donor-Funded Scholarships

The Bishop Manogue community has a long history of supporting its students, not only during their high school education, but throughout their post-secondary education as well. Several donors have established scholarships for the benefit of students graduating from Bishop Manogue Catholic High School to use at an institution of higher education.

Click here for a list of donor funded scholarships.

College-Sponsored Scholarships

Many college offer merit- or need-based scholarship opportunities to incoming students. Some require a counselor nomination, an additional application or have an earlier deadline. Please keep in mind that full-tuition scholarships will be highly competitive, only awarding the top applicants to the school.

Outside Scholarships

Many outside organizations, both for-profit and non-profit, offer scholarship opportunities to graduating seniors that plan to enter college. The deadlines, amounts, and eligibility criteria for these awards vary widely. This list will be updated as we are made aware of opportunities.

College Financial Aid Resources

• College Board BigFuture: This is an non-profit association of over 6,000 colleges and universities.  It provides resources, tools, and services to students, parents, and educators.  The College Board also develops the SAT and the AP tests.
• CSS Profile: (College Scholarship Service Profile) Distributed by the College Board, the CSS Profile is required for select private institutions to best find financial aid for the student.
• Fastweb: A free database of college scholarships.  Students complete a Fastweb profile and can search through scholarships for which they qualify.
• Educational Credit Management Corporation: (ECMC) Previously EdFund, this site outlines the basics of student loans and preventing default on those loans.
• US Department of Education: A great resource about loans, grants, laws, and data impacting education across the United States.
• Consumer Financial Protection Bureau: This agency has helpful resources for families to understand their options for paying for college as well as a tool for graduating seniors to compare financial aid offers from colleges.