Scholarships for New Students

Acceleration to Excellence Program Scholarships

Acceleration to Excellence Program (AEP)

Acceleration to Excellence Program (AEP) Scholarships are merit awards covering up to the full cost of tuition for outstanding students who apply during the 10th or 11th grade. Home-schooled students with well documented academic histories and students who have skipped grades are welcome to apply; students fitting these descriptions must be the age of the typical 10th or 11th grader.

Our faculty selects recipients based on academic excellence, extracurricular distinction, personal motivation and character. By the conclusion of the 10th grade, most AEP applicants have completed at least two years each of English, mathematics (including geometry and algebra II), science, social studies, and a foreign language; applicants entering the College after the 11th grade typically have completed three or more years of each subject.

Recipients of AEP Scholarships may also apply for additional need-based financial aid and AEP applicants who do not receive the AEP Scholarship will still be considered for other forms of merit- and need-based aid. The AEP application deadline is February 1.

Other Scholarships for New Students

W.E.B. Du Bois Scholarships

The W.E.B. Du Bois Scholarships meet a significant portion of the financial need of eligible students of color who apply during the 10th or 11th grade and have a record of academic achievement and motivation. Du Bois Scholarships are renewable for four years of study at Simon’s Rock. To remain eligible for renewal of the W.E.B. Du Bois Scholarship, a student must maintain a cumulative grade point average of 2.7 as of the end of each year at Simon’s Rock.

Berkshire Regional Scholarships

The Berkshire Regional Scholarships provide merit-based awards equal to 40 percent of tuition to students from 14 surrounding counties —in Massachusetts, eligible counties are: Berkshire, Franklin, Hampden and Hampshire; in Connecticut: Hartford and Litchfield; in New York: Albany, Columbia, Dutchess, Greene, Rensselaer, and Ulster; and in Vermont: Bennington and Windham.

At the time of application, applicants must be in at least the 10th grade or its equivalent, have a strong academic record, and be under age 19. Students whose families reside within commuting distance may choose to live at home. Students are also eligible for federal and state grants and loans that can cover up to the full cost of attendance. To remain eligible for the Berkshire Regional Scholarship, a student must maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.7 as of the end of each year at Simon’s Rock.

Alumni Referral Scholarships

The Alumni Referral Scholarships are awarded to entering first-year students who were referred to the College by a current student or an alumna/us of Simon’s Rock. These scholarships of $1,000 each are renewable for up to four years of study. A student may receive a maximum of one Alumni Referral Scholarship award, regardless of the number of current students or alumni who referred the incoming student to the College.

Mullaney Scholarship

The Mullaney Corporation Scholarship was established in 2000 by David Mullaney, the general contractor for the Fisher Science and Academic Center, the Alumni Library, and the Kilpatrick Athletic Center. It is awarded annually to a first-year student from Massachusetts on the basis of need and merit.

The Vince Finisdore Family Scholarship Fund

Established in 2006 by Marcia Finisdore, mother of alumna Susan Finisdore Higgins ’81, this endowed scholarship fund provides scholarship assistance to students who qualify under normal College procedures for financial aid and who have a hearing loss as measured by professional audiological testing. The award, which is not intended to pay for legally required services, may be continued from year to year as long as the recipient maintains satisfactory progress toward a Simon’s Rock AA or BA degree.

Simon’s Rock grants are awarded annually to new and returning students on the basis of need. They may be renewed each year provided a student maintains good academic and social standing.