Getting into college can be complicated and overwhelming. To support students and families, College Board^® has the College Board Opportunity Scholarships, a first-of-its-kind national scholarship program. It’s unique because it serves as a simple college planning guide for all students. It explains what to do and when to do it. 

The College Board Opportunity Scholarships lay out six simple steps that all students can take to get into college. Completing each step will earn a chance for a scholarship; completing all six will earn students a chance to win $40,000 for their college education.  

The six steps in this program help students plan by making a good starter college list, helping them prepare so they can take their best shot, and helping them pay for college. The six actions are:

1. Building a College List—Students get started by exploring colleges they’re interested in.
2. Practicing for the SAT^®—Students use Official SAT Practice on Khan Academy to get ready for test day.
3. Improving SAT Scores—Students show how practice pays off by improving their SAT scores.
4. Strengthening Their College List—Students make sure their college list is a mix of academic safety, fit, and reach schools.
5. Completing the FAFSA^®—Students fill out the free government form to apply for financial aid. 
6. Applying to Colleges—Students apply to the schools they want to attend.

The College Board Opportunity Scholarships are different from other scholarship programs because they’re about how much students grow, not how high they score. The College Board Opportunity Scholarships don’t require an essay or an application and don’t have a minimum GPA or SAT score requirement. Instead, the program rewards all students’ efforts and actions on their way to college. The more effort that students put in and the more actions that they complete, the more chances they have to earn a college scholarship.

College Board is investing $25 million over five years for these scholarships. A total of $5 million is available for each graduating class, beginning with the class of 2020. All students are invited to participate.

Students can sign up at CB.org/Opportunity. And students can start today by going to BigFuture^® to make a starter list of six colleges they’re interested in. Just by making that list, students earn a chance for a $500 scholarship. Then students can take the next step toward earning a $40,000 scholarship by going here receive free, personalized practice on Khan Academy. If you have any questions, visit our FAQs page here.

Jenny Caccavale

The College Board

Jenny Caccavale joined the College Board in 2012 and supports districts in Massachusetts and Vermont in reaching their college and career readiness goals. Prior to joining the College Board, Jenny was the director of college counseling at a high school in Massachusetts and previously was a Teach for America Corps member in Washington, D.C.

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