Eligibility:

• The scholarship contest is open to current high school seniors who plan to attend either a 4-year college, a 2-year community college, or a vocational school after their high school graduation.
• Applicants must be a US resident and be enrolled in an online public school, online private school, or independent study program in the US.
• All participants must have a valid and verifiable email address.
• PSO employees and affiliates and their family members are ineligible.

Application Process:

Interested students must complete the scholarship application by providing the following information:

• Full name
• Mailing address
• Phone number
• Email address
• High school name and address
• Intended college or vocational school
• Parent/guardian signature for applicants under 18-years-old 

Applicants must submit either:

• A 250-word written essay on the provided essay topic.

OR

• A 2-minute video essay on the provided essay topic uploaded to a public platform (e.g., YouTube) with a shareable link.

Essay Topic:

Applicants must address the following topic in their written essay or video essay: 

"Reflect on your high school experience attending an online public school, online private school, or independent study program. Describe how it has shaped your educational journey, your ability to set and achieve goals, and the impact it has had on your personal growth and academic success. Offer advice to fellow students on how they can make the most of their personalized learning experience."

Submission Deadline:

• The application and written essay or video essay must be submitted no later than February 14, 2025 at 11:59 PM PT.
• Submissions must be sent to: https://form.jotform.com/250066113090141

Selection Criteria:

• Submissions will be judged based on creativity, originality, content quality, and adherence to the contest theme.
• A panel of judges, selected by PSO will review and evaluate all entries.

Scholarship Awards:

• Scholarships will be individually awarded to 13 winners in the amount of 1 x $2,500, 5 x $1,000 and 7 x $500.

Notification of Winners:

• Winners will be notified by email or phone no later than March 7, 2025.
• The scholarship award will be disbursed directly to the student. 

Publicity and Privacy:

• By participating in this scholarship contest, applicants grant PSO the right to use their names, likenesses, and essays for promotional and marketing purposes.
• Personal information provided by applicants will be used solely for the purpose of administering the scholarship contest and will not be shared with third parties.
• Applicants under the age of 18-years-old will require a parent/guardian signature.

Contact Information:

For any questions or clarifications regarding the scholarship contest, please contact: scholarship@parentsforschooloptions.org. 

Disclaimer:

PSO reserves the right to modify or cancel the scholarship contest at any time due to unforeseen circumstances or low participation.

PSO wishes all applicants the best of luck!