UCM Initiates A+ Recognition and Dual Credit Scholarships Effective for Fall 2020

By Jeff Murphy, October 29, 2019

 

Editor's Note:  A+ Recognition  Scholarships were discontinued at the University of Central Missouri in Spring 2023. The following article is being maintained on our website for archival purposes. While this financial award is not available, please contact Student Financial Services at 660-543-8266 or email scholarships@ucmo.edu or visit  the website to learn about other scholarship opportunities.

 

WARRENSBURG, MO – Providing a financial lift to high school graduates who are entering college for the first time, the University of Central Missouri is implementing the A+ Recognition Scholarship and the UCM Dual Credit Scholarship. The first awards will be available for the 2020 fall enrollment cycle.

The A+ Recognition Scholarship is a new financial award valued at $500 per year ($250 per semester) and is in recognition of students who have completed the A+ program at a Missouri high school. Currently, the Missouri Department of Higher Education offers a scholarship to students who meet academic, attendance, tutoring/mentoring and citizenship criteria and enroll in a two-year degree program. This UCM A+ Recognition Scholarship is for incoming freshmen who choose to enroll full time in a four-year degree program directly out of high school and have been certified as completing the A+ program.

“We’re excited about this opportunity for students,” said Drew Griffin, assistant vice provost for admissions and financial aid at UCM. “The UCM A+ Recognition Scholarship along with other federal, state and institutional financial aid makes UCM an even better option for A+-certified students who want to pursue a four-year degree.”

He added that the A+ Recognition Scholarship is a stackable award. This means a student may qualify for this award on top of other federal, state and other UCM scholarships to help finance their education. This will provide a strong financial benefit for students who begin their college education in fall 2020.

Students who are interested in pursuing the A+ Recognition Scholarship must apply for admission and submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by Feb. 1. Award criteria include meeting certain ACT score and minimum grade point average requirements, along with graduation from an A+-eligible Missouri high school, which must be indicated on the UCM admission application.  The actual award will be made upon confirmation of completed A+ requirements from the final high school transcript.

Griffin said the scholarship is renewable for one year with completion of 24 UCM credit hours per year. The student also must have achieved a cumulative 3.0 GPA or higher at UCM.

The UCM Dual Credit Scholarship is a $1,000 ($500 per semester) award, and is available to all incoming freshmen who have taken at least one dual credit course with UCM. They also must have received 3.0 or higher grade point average.

This award is renewable for up to six semesters if a recipient maintains a 3.0+ GPA, and enrolls as a full-time students each semester.

UCM is committed to keeping college costs as low as possible, and looks for opportunities to create scholarships that will help students to reduce their college debt load. The A+ Recognition Scholarship and the Dual Credit Scholarship are among many initiatives the university is taking to make college as accessible and affordable as possible for students.

Tony Lubbers, UCM director of financial aid, stressed that “UCM has increased its scholarships to incoming freshmen by 4 percent or almost $900, 000 over the last two years. During this time, we have seen student loans decrease by 12.8 percent resulting in over $7 million less debt.”

To learn more about the A+ Recognition Scholarship and the Dual Credit Scholarship, contact Student Financial Services at 660-543-8266 or email scholarships@ucmo.edu, or visit our website.