Frequently Asked Questions

We want you to select the right college/university for you – regardless of whether or not it is a Collegiate Partner. During the Summer Academy and your senior high school year, we will work with you to create a list that includes some of our collegiate partners alongside colleges and universities outside of our partnerships as well.

Yes, CCS provides support throughout the process of applying to college as well support in applying for financial aid.

If you are a U.S. citizen or permanent resident and meet our eligibility guidelines, you should apply to the scholarship even if your parents are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents.

We are not currently able to provide a scholarship to any student who is not a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.

The required supporting materials must all be uploaded to your online application by the application deadline. If you do not follow the upload instructions exactly, your application may not be considered. Please contact a member of our team at apply@coopermanscholars.org with clarifying questions or concerns.

If you experience trouble uploading your documents, you may also bring them into our office at 494 Broad Street, Suite 103 in Newark, NJ. Contact a member of our team at apply@coopermanscholars.org to schedule a drop off date and time.

The early application deadline is November 21, and the final application deadline is December 5.

Scholars are announced March 29th, 2023.

• Transcript: Upload a copy of your high school transcript that includes your grades from 9th and 10th grade. Include a list of your currently enrolled 11th grade classes, as available.
• Verification of U.S. Citizenship or Permanent Resident Status: Upload one of the seven required verification documents listed on the website.
• Financial Verification: Provide a copy of a 2022 income tax return from both biological parents or guardian(s). Upload all pages of the tax return. If they do not file taxes, submit a completed non-filer form.
• Photo: Upload a full-faced photo. All photos should only include you and be properly focused. Please refer to the College Board’s photo guidelines as a helpful reference.
• Optional: Letter of recommendation (Recommended if your GPA is below 3.0)

Yes, there are three essays required. Each applicant needs to respond to the essay questions below using no more than 150 words, 500 words and 250 words, respectively.

Essay Prompts: 

Q1: What is your “WHY” for choosing to attend college? Need help answering this? Check out this video!

Q2: Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?

Q3: Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.

Please submit all available high school transcripts.

If you have concerns about being able to access your parents’/guardians’ financial information, please contact a Cooperman staff person at apply@coopermanscholars.org for further suggestions. With your permission, the Cooperman program can call your parent or share a letter with them explaining the need for their financial information.

We recognize that GPAs are not always reflective of a student’s full capacity. Students who have experienced academic challenges early on in their high school career, should have made significant strides toward developing an upward academic trajectory. Use the space provided in the application to discuss any grades that do not reflect your best.

Students who have obtained credits toward a college degree through advanced coursework are welcome to apply. However, students who have graduated from high school, or earned a bachelor’s or associate’s degree are not eligible to apply.

Transcripts can either be uploaded as a .pdf or .jpg file. If you elect to use a picture, please make sure that you upload a clear photo of your academic record where all numbers and letters are legible.

To submit a letter of recommendation, please log into your CCS application and input the recommender’s full name and email address. The online system will send an email to the recommender. S/he will be able to upload a letter on your behalf.

CCS provides a three-week, all-expenses-paid Summer Academy on a college campus the summer between your junior and senior year of high school. This year, June 24, 2024, is the first starting date of our summer program. Scholars will be selected for one of the four programs and should plan to spend three weeks residing on a college campus without going home. The last program ends by August 9, 2024.

All of the Summer Academy programs will provide a similar experience. You are welcomed to share your preference about which Summer Academy campus you are most interested in attending; however, the CCS Staff will consider a number of factors to make the final decision.

One of the eligibility requirements to receive a scholarship is that all Scholars are required to attend their assigned three-week Summer Academy. If a Scholar is unable to attend and complete the Summer Academy, the student will forfeit his or her eligibility to be a Cooperman College Scholar.

The financial component of the scholarship is a “last-dollar” award where amounts are determined after the Scholar has applied for financial aid at the college under consideration. The scholarship award for those attending partner institutions will be a maximum of $9,000 per year for up to four years. The scholarship award for those attending non-partner institutions will be a maximum of $2,000 per year for up to four years. Scholars may receive less depending on their financial need.

Yes, the scholarship award for those attending non-partner institutions will be a maximum of $2,000 per year for up to four years. Scholars may receive less depending on their financial need.

Acceptance into the Cooperman College Scholars program as a rising senior high school student does not guarantee a four-year college scholarship. In order for a Scholar to maintain his/her standing in the program, and therefore be eligible for a college scholarship, each Cooperman College Scholar must:

• Successfully complete the three-week Summer Academy;
• Maintain enrollment in and continue to achieve academically during the senior year of high school;
• Graduate from high school 1 year from the completion of 11th grade;
• Apply to and earn acceptance into a four-year accredited U.S. college or university within 1 year of the completion of 11th grade;
• Maintain good academic standing each academic year at the college or university;
• Make satisfactory progress in four years toward an undergraduate degree at the college or university.

Yes! Scholars who attend a partner college are required to live on-campus for their freshman and sophomore year. While we do not require this for Scholars attending our non-partner colleges, we certainly encourage it.

Yes! The EOF/Summer Bridge Program provides our students with a critical early introduction to campus life and gives them a valuable jump start on their academic coursework. For this reason, all Scholars who attend a partner college will be required to participate in the EOF/Summer Bridge Program.

To receive the Cooperman Scholarship, Scholars must first successfully complete all of their required high school milestones. These milestones include, timely submission of college applications, Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), and successfully participation in required CCS programming. Once these milestones are complete, the Scholar will send their itemized bill to CCS each semester to receive their scholarship award. Fall awards are typically sent in late August while spring awards are sent in late January.

Cooperman Scholarships are paid directly to the college each Scholar attends.