(Click the picture of each organization to learn how each program help high achieving students from low to medium income families)

Generous External Scholarships For High-achieving, Low-Income Students

The Jack Kent Cooke Foundation, read their scholarship programs’ data and charts.

• The Cooke College Scholarship Program is an undergraduate scholarship program available to high-achieving high school seniors with financial need who seek to attend and graduate from the nation's best four-year colleges and universities. Cooke College Scholars receive up to $55,000 per year.

• The Cooke Young Scholars Program is a selective five-year, pre-college scholarship for high-performing 7th grade students with financial need. It provides comprehensive academic and college advising, as well as financial support for school, Cooke-sponsored summer programs, internships, and other learning enrichment opportunities.

• The Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship is a highly selective scholarship for the nation’s top community college students seeking to complete their bachelor’s degrees at four-year colleges or universities. Cooke College Scholars receive up to $55,000 per year.

The Gates Scholarship (TGS) - a highly selective, last-dollar scholarship for outstanding, minority, high school seniors from low-income households. Each year, the scholarship is awarded to 300 of these student leaders.

Horatio Alger Scholarship Programs - specifically assist high school students who have faced and overcome great obstacles in their young lives. The Horatio Alger Association seeks students who have exhibited determination, integrity, and perseverance in overcoming adversity, as well as have critical financial need.

• As one of the nation’s largest college financial aid programs in the country, the Horatio Alger National Scholarship Program is one of the major scholarship programs nationally that specifically assists high school students who have faced and overcome great obstacles in their young lives. 106 scholarships at $25,000 each

• State scholarships are awarded to eligible students in all fifty states and the District of Columbia. Scholarships valued at $10,000 each. The program specifically assists high school students who have faced and overcome great obstacles in their young lives.

• The Career & Technical Scholarships are awarded to students who have faced and overcome great obstacles in their lives who wish to pursue a career or technical education at an accredited non-profit post-secondary institution in the United States. 500 scholarships at up to $2,500 each.

• Targeted Scholarships - this is an umbrella for several scholarship programs that either require an applicant to pursue a specific degree or attend a specific university. These specialized programs are funded through the generosity of individual Horatio Alger Members. So please do read the page thoroughly.

The Coca-Cola Scholars Program Scholarship, an achievement-based scholarship awarded to graduating high school seniors. Students are recognized for their capacity to lead and serve, as well as their commitment to making a significant impact on their schools and communities. 150 Coca-Cola Scholars are selected each year to receive this $20,000 scholarship.

• The Coca-Cola Scholars Program Scholarship webpage has a great resource section for Search Engines and Scholarship Programs. You can do in-depth research from there.

Dell Scholars program, designed to provide a support system for the challenges many students face while pursuing a degree. Nationally, 500 Dell Scholars are selected each year to receive a scholarship of $20,000 plus lots of non-monetary supports.

• For students who’re considering attending the University of Texas at Austin, there is a Dell Scholars at UT Austin Program.

The Cameron Impact Scholarship is a four-year, full-tuition, merit-based undergraduate scholarship awarded annually to 10-15 exceptional high school students who have demonstrated excellence in academics, extracurricular activities, leadership, and community service.

Useful Tools and Websites for College Funding Planning

MyinTuition - a tool that, in only three minutes, provides a personalized estimate of what it would cost an individual to attend college. It is recommended by Six Colleges.