APPLICATIONS NOW CLOSED, RE-OPENS IN AUG/SEP
Scholarship Awarding University:
Ohio State UniversityType of degree:
Bachelor’s
Scholarship Deadline:
Applications for this scholarship will end on the 1st of November, 2023
Scholarship Summary:
One of Ohio State's premier scholarship programs, the Morrill Scholarship Program (MSP) offers scholarships and educational enrichment opportunities to academically talented domestic students who are actively engaged in diversity-based leadership, social justice and service. The Morrill Scholarship is awarded on a competitive basis to students admitted to the Columbus campus for the autumn semester following high school graduation.
Scholarship Applicant Criteria:
There are no set criteria but MSP seeks academically talented high school seniors who will contribute to campus diversity and actively engage as advocates and champions of diversity, inclusion, social justice and academic excellence on campus.
Value of Scholarship:
There are three award levels of the Morrill Scholarship namely;
I, Distinction: Covers the full cost of attendance {tuition, fees, room and board}
ii. Prominence: Covers the value of in-state tuition plus the non-resident surcharge for non-residents
iii. Excellence: the value of in-state tuition for Ohio residents
Scholarship Application Guide:
To apply;
Step 1: Apply for admission to The Ohio State University by November 1. Note that the application and all required materials (application fee, test scores, transcripts, etc.) are due by that deadline.
It is highly recommended that you submit the application and all required application materials by November 1.
Step 2: On the application, check the appropriate box that indicates your interest in being considered for the Morrill Scholarship Program and then complete the essay prompt.
Step 3: Be sure to include leadership and diversity involvement on the activity list.
Step 4: On the application, if you checked “YES” indicating your interest for the Morrill Scholarship Program and you provided an essay response to the question, your application is forwarded to the Office of Diversity and Inclusion after the admissions decision is complete.
Step 5: Essays are evaluated and recommended for awarding by a committee of staff and faculty.
Step 6: Scholarship offers will be sent to students by email. The details of the award will be included in the email. A formal letter will be sent via the U.S. Postal Service, for your records.
Step 7: Your scholarship is considered accepted once your Undergraduate Acceptance Fee is received.
Note: The Distinction Scholarship is MSP's premier scholarship and is the equivalent of the cost of attendance. Students selected to interview for this scholarship will receive email notification.
Scholarship Website:
Find further information on this scholarship opportunity at the Ohio State University Freshmen Scholarship Page.
Selection for the Morrill Scholars Program at Ohio State University begins with the admissions process and in order to be eligible, you have to first be admitted into the University.
Ohio State University operates a holistic review of incoming admission applications but applicants can expect to be gauged on the following criteria as stated on the OSU Admissions website;
ADMISSIONS CRITERIA
1. High school performance (class rank or GPA), including participation in accelerated programs like Honors, AP and IB: OSU's curriculum is very intense and robust, hence having excellent academic credentials in a rigorous high school curriculum like an Honors, will help to sway the admissions team that you are prepared you for what's ahead if you gain entry into OSU. It's also important to note that Morrill Scholars tend to rank in the top 10% of their high school class and have a minimum GPA of about 3.5+.
2. Experiences that demonstrate leadership or engaged involvement (e.g., co-curricular activities, work experiences or military service): Ohio State University prides itself in raising leaders that are cognizant of the several challenges that the world presently faces and students who demonstrate through their application, that they can spearhead a team to tackle a cause or an issue, will score top marks in their application review.
3. Demonstration of outstanding talent in a particular area: Applicants who are gifted in one skill or the other and can clearly communicate that in their applications will signal to the Admissions team that they have the discipline and tenacity to stick with a project until its completion. This quality is highly sought after in incoming freshman at OSU.
4. Ability/commitment to contribute to and engage with a campus community of people with a wide variety of lived experiences: As a University in the forefront of championing diversity and equality in the educational space, OSU expects its students to be able to collaborate and work effectively with people from various works of life, no matter how different their point of views are. Demonstrated examples should be well-detailed in the admissions application.
5. Demonstrated personal qualities of collaboration, determination and resilience: The ability to overcome struggles and obstacles is probably the most important qualities that a Morrill Scholar applicant should possess and that should shine through when completing an admission application.
MSP SCHOLARS APPLICATION
In the general admission application, there will be a checkbox which you have to tick in order to reveal the MSP Essay.
The MSP Essay will then test your eligibility against three criteria:
- Can contribute to campus diversity
- Can actively engage as advocates and champions of diversity, inclusion and social justice
- Deliver academic excellence on campus.
The essay prompt will typically require you to give in detail, a period in time when you initiated a cause that advocated for the inclusion of diversity and social justice.
Our advice for completing the essay is to stay true to your story; whatever past experience that shows you taking on a leadership role to champion any social cause, inclusion or diversity should be well-recounted and effectively communicated. The flow of the essay should be organic, genuine and well-paced.
The admission application and the Morrill scholarship essay are the only two determinants for the awarding of the MSP award, so take your time to review all the different sections of the process.
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