Hi there,
If you have a graduating senior, I would put this one on their list today.
The Coca-Cola Scholars Program will award 150 students $20,000 each.
And the application closes tomorrow—Wednesday, September 30 at 5 p.m. ET.
Here's the part that makes this especially worth looking at today:
The first round requires no essay, no transcript, and no recommendation.
THIS WEEK'S SCHOLARSHIP →
Coca-Cola Scholars Program
Award: $20,000
Number of awards: 150
Deadline: September 30, 2026 at 5 p.m. ET
GPA: Minimum 3.0
Who: Current high school or homeschool students graduating during the 2026–27 school year who meet the program's full eligibility requirements
First round: No essay. No transcript. No recommendation.
A TIP FROM ME →
A 3.0 gets your student through the GPA requirement. It doesn't tell us what Coca-Cola is actually looking for.
The Foundation says this is an achievement-based scholarship recognizing students for their ability to lead and serve and their commitment to making a meaningful impact in their schools and communities.
So before your student fills out the activities section, have them answer one question for each of their biggest commitments:
What changed because I was involved?
Don't stop at:
Student Council — 3 years
Dig underneath it.
What did you organize? Who did you help? Did participation grow? Did you raise money? Did you mentor someone? Did you solve a problem? Did you create something that continued after you?
And please don't overlook jobs, family responsibilities, athletics, faith communities, or commitments outside of school just because they don't come with a leadership title.
What matters is helping the reader understand:
What did you actually contribute?
Then save those answers.
Your student can use that same thinking later when working on Common App activities, scholarship applications, interviews, and recommendation requests.
SCOUT CHECK →
Before I share a scholarship with you, I check it.
Real sponsor ✓
Current deadline ✓
Official source ✓
Eligibility reviewed ✓
This is the same vetting process behind Scholarship Scout AI, the scholarship-matching tool I'm building for families who want help finding legitimate opportunities that fit their student.
Not more scholarships. Scholarships you can trust.
BEFORE YOU ADD ANOTHER COLLEGE →
Here's something I wish more families did before getting attached to a college:
Run its Net Price Calculator.
Sticker price tells you what a college charges.
A Net Price Calculator estimates what students with circumstances similar to yours paid after grants and scholarships. It's a planning estimate—not a financial-aid offer—but it can give you a much better starting point for the money conversation.
TRY THIS TONIGHT →
Choose one college on your student's list.
Run its Net Price Calculator.
Then ask:
Could our family realistically pay this amount every year without depending on large parent or private loans?
If the answer is no, that doesn't automatically mean the college comes off the list.
It means your student also needs financially realistic options—not just admission options.
ONE LAST THING →
If your senior is eligible for Coca-Cola, don't save this application for tomorrow night.
The application becomes unavailable after 5 p.m. Eastern tomorrow, September 30.
Apply today if you can.
Angela Robles
College Funding & Essay Coach
The College Cost Hack
Know a family with a senior?
Forward this email to them today.
Families shouldn't have to know a college counselor personally to get clear information about college and how to pay for it.
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