Catawba College News Service

Do you know a high school senior with a weighted grade point average of 3.5 or higher who also has standardized test results on the SAT Math and Critical Reading sub-scores totaling at least 1150 or an ACT composite score of 25 or more? If so, Catawba College encourages you to tell them about the McCorkle Scholarships. These scholarships, the most prestigious that Catawba offers, can provide a full-tuition award to selected students entering Catawba in the fall of 2015.

The first step is for eligible students to submit an application for admission to Catawba.  Students may apply online at www.catawba.edu/apply. After an application is submitted, students will be invited to compete for a McCorkle Scholarship. The invitations to compete are extended based on a student’s demonstrated commitment to academic excellence as reflected in their completed admission file.

Those invited to compete must provide a recommendation from a teacher or administrator and submit an essay of approximately 400-600 words (on a selected topic which they will receive at the time of invitation) by the appropriate deadline.     

Although the deadlines for these 2015 competitions are fast approaching, there is still time for students to submit their application materials and receive an invitation to compete. Once a student is accepted and invited to participate in the competition, all supporting information for competitions must be submitted or postmarked by:

• Feb. 14  for the Feb. 26 and 27 competitions

• March 14  for the March 26 competition

“We hope that eligible students will seize this opportunity to engage with the Catawba faculty, learn more about our honors programs, and to vie for a McCorkle Scholarship,” said Elaine Holden, Catawba’s director of admissions. “We appreciate high school guidance counselors and parents encouraging their eligible students to begin the process by submitting an application for admission today.”

The McCorkle Scholarships, formerly called First Family Scholarships at Catawba, were recently renamed in honor of one of Catawba’s founders, the late Judge M.L. McCorkle. McCorkle was one of the college’s first trustees and benefactors when it was established in Catawba County in 1851. The McCorkle Scholarships are available to qualifying students thanks to the generosity of Catawba donors who have continued the legacy of academic opportunity that McCorkle began.

For more information, contact the Catawba Admissions Office by phone at 704-637-4402 or via e-mail at Admission@catawba.edu.