Scholarships
Salem College offers merit awards to students of exceptional talent. These awards generally go to students with excellent GPAs and SAT scores along with significant achievements in activities and service. Music scholarships are also available for incoming students with outstanding musical ability who intend to major in music. All students from the United States are eligible for the Salem College scholarships. In addition, all scholarship recipients may apply for need-based aid.
In addition to GPAs and SATs, your extracurricular activities, community service, leadership experience, and special talents are considered. You may also be eligible for need-based aid.
Sample Salem Scholarship Awards for Boarding Students:
| GPA/SAT | 1350-1600 | 1200-1340 | 1100-1190 | 1000-1090 |
| 4.0 | $11,000-full tuition | $10,000-full tuition | $8,000-$12,000 | $7,000-$10,000 |
| 3.8 | $10,000-full tuition | $9,000-$12,000 | $8,000-$11,000 | $6,000-$9,000 |
| 3.5 | $9,000-$12,000 | $8,000-$11,000 | $7,000-$10,000 | $6,000-$9,000 |
| 3.2 | $8,000-$10,000 | $7,000-$10,000 | $6,000-$9,000 | $5,000-$8,000 |
| 3.0 | $7,000-$10,000 | $6,000-$8,000 | $5,000-$7,000 | $4,000-$6,000 |
Students must apply and compete for these awards. Final candidates will be invited to the Salem College campus for interviews with the selection committee during Scholarship Weekend, to be held February 19-20, 2006. All recipients of scholarships will be notified by March 15.
To be considered for the Lucy Hanes Chatham Scholarship, Salem's most prestigious award, applications must be postmarked by January 1, 2006. Applications for all other scholarships must be postmarked by January 15, 2006.
Lucy Hanes Chatham Scholarship
The Chatham Weyand, Womble, and Whitaker Scholarships are Salem's most prestigious awards and are offered each year to 10-15 entering freshmen. These scholarships are designed to recognize and encourage young women of outstanding achievement and ability. Students are judged on the basis of superior academic performance and evidence of leadership, responsibility, and concern for others. The following characteristics are also considered: initiative, motivation, creativity, resourcefulness, and vigor. Fifteen finalists will be invited for the Scholarship competition, which begins on Saturday of Salem's Scholarship weekend, February 19, and continues through February 20, 2006. Each award is a full tuition scholarship ($16,275 in 2004-05) and is renewable annually if the recipient maintains a 3.0 college GPA and is a full-time resident student.
The Presidential Scholarship
Presidential awards of $12,000 to $13,000 recognize entering freshmen for academic achievement, leadership, and service. Each award is renewable annually if the recipient maintains a 3.0 college GPA and is a full-time resident.
The Governor's School Scholarship
Governor's School scholarships are awarded to up to four freshmen who have attended a Governor's School summer session. Each award is worth $11,000 and is renewable annually if the recipient maintains a 3.0 college GPA and is a full-time resident.
Heritage Scholarship
Heritage Scholarships are awarded in recognition of excellent academic achievement and significant extracurricular involvement during high school. The awards are worth $10,000 annually, with preference given to minority students. Recipients must be full-time resident students and must maintain a 2.5 college GPA to renew the scholarship each year.
Salem Academic Scholarship
Academic scholarships are awarded to several students each year who have demonstrated academic achievement. The awards are worth $10,000-$12,000 a year and are renewable with a 3.0 college GPA.
Gramley Leadership & Service Scholarship
Gramley scholarships are awarded to several students each year who have demonstrated outstanding achievement in leadership and service. Students' academic records are also considered. Each award is worth $8,000-$10,000 a year and is renewable with a 2.5 college GPA. Recipients are also expected to participate in campus and community activities.
Transfer Scholarship
Awards of $1,500 to $10,000 are offered each year to entering transfer students who have demonstrated outstanding academic achievement at their previous institutions. Scholarships are renewable annually if the recipient maintains a 3.0 GPA at Salem.
Music Scholarships
Music scholarships are awarded to incoming students who intend to major in music in recognition of their outstanding musical ability. Applicants must participate in auditions on Salem's campus during Scholarship Weekend or by appointment. In exceptional circumstances, applicants may submit recorded tapes. A reference from the student's music teacher is also required. Applicants are judged on the basis of general musicianship, technical proficiency, and level of repertoire as well as on academic achievement and citizenship. Each of the scholarships is renewable annually provided the student maintains a 3.0 GPA in her music courses and a 2.0 cumulative GPA.
- The P Fohl, Copple, and Bellin Scholarships of $6,000 to $6,500 are awarded to new students each year.
- The Christian Gregor Scholarship of $5,000 is awarded to several new students each year.
- The Dunford Music Scholarship of $3,000 is awarded to several new students each year.
- The Vardell Music Scholarship of $1,000 is awarded to several new students each year.
Lehman Scholars Program
The Lehman Scholars Program is a new initiative developed by the faculty in Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics and Psychology. A unique four-year program designed to foster independent investigation and to develop the skills necessary to become active scientists, the Lehman Scholars Program will provide students with access to research and travel funds, special events, specialized courses, opportunities to be mentored, and opportunities to mentor others.
A total of eight students from the entering class will be invited to join the Lehman Scholars Program. We hope to invite two students from each of the four disciplines to join the program. As long as the Scholar continues her pursuit of a major in Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics or Psychology, and maintains a GPA of 3.0, she will be able to participate fully in the program. We will admit a few lateral entry candidates into the program in the sophomore year as well.
The first-year Lehman Scholars will participate in a weekly Freshman Science Seminar, where faculty from all four disciplines in the program will discuss ways in which scientific investigation is carried out in their respective fields. In the Spring Semester, each Lehman Scholar will develop and carry out her own mini-project under the guidance of a faculty mentor. Each Lehman Scholar will also receive $100 toward the purchase of textbooks each semester.
Second year students will enroll in the course CINS 30: Spreadsheets for Science and Mathematics. Students will also have the opportunity to participate in peer-mentoring activities and have priority access to travel funds for professional and scientific meetings. Students in their second year will also receive a free subscription to Science News ® and meet with the Science Faculty once a month to discuss current events and the hottest topics in science.
Third year Lehman Scholars will begin to develop their independent research projects under the direction of a faculty mentor and usually as an Honors Independent Study in her major. Competitive access to research funds will be available to all Lehman Scholars. Students will be able to apply to have a desk or a bench in the ´Lab of One´s Own´, a new state of the art facility designed for students performing independent research. Students will continue their peer-mentoring activities.
In their final year, students complete their research project and prepare to present it at a professional meeting or other event, such as the biannual WISE Conference at Salem. Seniors will enroll in a capstone course: Philosophy of Science. Peer-mentoring continues, as does faculty interaction.
The Lehman Scholars Program is made possible by a grant from the Cobb Foundation. All courses listed in the descriptions above are pending approval by the faculty of Salem College. The Program is co-sponsored by the Departments of Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics and Psychology and the Women in Science and Mathematics Program (WISMP) at Salem College.