Nowadays, it is essential for students to look for possible ways to foster their college education. Avoiding student loan debt is ideal so as to avoid paying the borrowed amount in the near future. This makes it more essential to seek for college scholarships. Fortunately, there is no shortage of organizations offering scholarships to persistent students—like the Coca Cola Company.
One of the biggest names in soft drinks offers corporate scholars both to high school students and college students alike. Each year, the company gives out over 1,400 scholarships to deserving applicants through the Coca Cola Scholarship Foundation. If you are interested to receive scholarship rewards, you must start filing your application as soon as possible. The application process usually begins from August 1 and ends on October 31 of the senior year of high school. Whether you are home-schooled or enrolled in a traditional high school, you may benefit from this scholarship just as long as you are a high school senior at time of your application, you are in the United States (U.S. citizen or legalized citizen), and you achieve a minimum GPA of 3.00 at the end of your junior year of high school. Children or grandchildren of Coca Cola employees, however, may not qualify for the program.
The company will screen all applications and will initially choose 2,200 semifinalists. These semifinalists are required to submit secondary application from which they will be screened again. The Coca Cola Scholarship awards 250 achievement based scholarships to outstanding students. The finalists must pass the personal interview conducted by the National Selection Committee in Atlanta. The information or the details about the interview is stated on the letter that notifies them of their qualification. Out of these, 50 students will receive a $20,000 grant which is distributed between $5,000 per school year up to 4 years. The remaining 200 students will get $10,000 worth of scholarships, divided into $2,500 per year for 4 years.
Coca Cola also offers stipend to students completing college education at an accredited community college. The All State Community College Academic Team Program awards eligible students with scholarship worth $2,000 to fund college tuition. Besides, 50 more students will receive scholarship worth $1,500, another 50 will receive $1,250, and 50 more students will receive $1,000. Unlike the Scholars Program, students who long to receive this scholarship must be nominated by the appropriate authority of their schools. Moreover, applicants must be enrolled in a community college and become a member of the ALL-USA or All-State Academic Teams to qualify.
The Coca Cola scholarship programs are merit-based. Therefore students who wish to apply and maintain scholarship must do well in their studies and must keep a good record of grades. If you wish to acquire any of Coke’s scholarships, you may visit the Coca Cola Scholars Foundation website.