Student Scholarship

1. Currently enrolled student who is in their senior year of high school in the states of Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon or Washington and plans to attend a regionally accredited college or university in the coming Fall - OR - Currently enrolled student who is attending a two-year college in the states of Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon or Washington and plans to attend a regionally accredited four-year college or university in the coming Fall.

2. Currently have a 3.00 cumulative, unweighted GPA or higher.

3. Submit the video essay application no later than March 15 at midnight Pacific Time.

1. Record a video (no more than one minute in length) responding to one of the following prompts: “What would you like to be doing in 10 years, and how does college help you get there?” -OR- “How has your college/career counselor, school counselor or advisor helped you (and/or others) in finding the right college fit and what would you like to say to them?”

2. Upload your video to YouTube. Publish it as unlisted. The instructions to do this can be found here.

3. Submit the video essay application no later than March 15 at midnight Pacific Time.

• Must be created by an individual student. No joint entries (video created by two or more students) will be considered.

• Must be no more than one minute in length.

• Must be submitted by the deadline.

• Must be hosted on YouTube and published as unlisted. The instructions to publish as unlisted can be found here.

• Videos will be judged on message, originality, and focus. Students do not need to be experienced videographers or editors and no fancy camera or special equipment is required. Just simply use your phone or borrow a friend’s!

• Need some inspiration? Check out the videos of past winners!

PNACAC represents college admissions professionals in Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington. A regional affiliate of the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC), PNACAC is an education association of secondary school counselors, college and university admission officers and counselors and related individuals who work with students as they make the transition from high school to postsecondary education.

Accreditation ensures that an institution meets an acceptable level of quality, and that an institution is upholding its mission, goals, operations and achievements. Regionally accredited institutions typically include public two- and four-year colleges and universities, tribal colleges and universities and private, non-profit colleges and universities.

• Higher Learning Commission

• Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges

• New England Commission of Higher Education

• Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities

• Southern Association of Colleges and Schools

• WSAC Senior College and University Commission

ELIGIBILITY

• Am I eligible if I am already attending a four-year institution? No.

• Am I eligible if I attend a high school outside of Alaska, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, or Washington? No.

• Am I eligible if I am enrolled at a two-year or four-year institution outside of Alaska, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, or Washington? No.

• Can I apply if I have already been awarded the Student Scholarship in a past year? No.

• Are homeschooled seniors eligible? Yes.

• If I plan to take a gap year, when should I apply: as a senior, or the spring before I enroll? The spring before enrolling.

• What if I haven’t committed to a college by the time I apply for the scholarship? No problem! We will collect information from recipients in late May using a form that will be sent to you through the email address you provide on the application.

• I have been accepted into a two-year or four-year college in one of the five eligible PNACAC states, but I have not registered for my classes nor made a deposit. At what point in my process am I considered enrolled? Once you make a deposit to a single school you plan to attend, you are considered enrolled. Make sure to watch your email in late May so you can provide the needed information in order for us to send the scholarship funds to your college or university.

THE APPLICATION

• Where can I find the link to the application? Apply here!

• What happens if I submit more than one application? We request that you only submit one application. In the case that you do submit multiple applications, we will only review the latest version and will not consider earlier submissions. Read the instructions carefully and be sure to take your time when completing the application and video.

VIDEO SUBMISSION

• How should I publish my YouTube video? Unlisted. Read instructions from Google for how to do this.

• Can I use other video platforms like Vimeo, TikTok, or Instagram? No. For the sake of consistency, we require you to use YouTube.

• Is it possible for me to resubmit a corrected video to meet the requirements? Students are strongly encouraged to take the time to create multiple takes to ensure they are satisfied with their final selection for submission and that it meets the requirements before submitting the YouTube link in the application. If you must submit multiple applications, only the latest version will be reviewed.

SELECTION PROCESS

• When and how will I find out if I am selected as a winner? Winners will be notified of their selection in late April and announced each year at the Awards Banquet at the Spring PNACAC Conference, typically in late May. 

• Do you use a rubric to review applicants? Yes, our selection committee use a rubric to ensure fair decisions.

• What wisdom can you share that would help students create an effective video? We suggest doing multiple takes before choosing your best video to upload to YouTube. Videos will be judged on message, originality, and focus. With a one minute maximum time limit, students who have an outline to help them stay concise and focused have the most success. With that said, those who deliver their thoughts naturally, instead of clearly reading a script, tend to be more successful. Students do not need to be experienced videographers or editors and no fancy camera or special equipment is required. Just simply use your phone or borrow a friend’s!

• Who sits on the committee that makes decisions regarding Student Scholarship Award selections? Each year, the Scholarships & Awards Chair recruits and maintains a committee that reflects the diversity of the Association membership and student population we serve to review nominations. Association membership is primarily made up of high school counselors, college admissions professionals, and community-based organization professionals. The exact composition of the committee may change year by year because of this fact.

SCHOLARSHIP DISBURSEMENT

• Does the scholarship go directly to the college or university I enroll at? Yes.

• What information do you need to disburse my scholarship to the school I enroll at? Recipients will be sent an email in late May with a link to a form, which must be submitted by the fall with the following information: full legal name, college attending name, college student ID number, and student’s contact information (home address, email, and preferred phone number).

• Is the Scholarship renewable? No.