advertisement

Trinity scholarship competition draws top students

Caroline Dilliplane, a high school senior, arrived on campus for the Trinity College Academic Scholarship Competition with an unusual story and some challenging goals.

Her aim is to earn a master's degree within four years, a goal that is achievable because she already has completed 60 hours of credit through an early college program in her hometown of Rochester Hills, Mich.

"I started my sophomore year taking college credits through my high school," Dilliplane said. "I would go to the college or take them online."

Dilliplane was one of 47 high school seniors invited to campus Jan. 29-30 to compete for a variety of awards, including the Presidential or Kantzer Scholarships to Trinity College (covering tuition, room, board, and required fees), the Regents or Ruud Scholarships (full tuition and required fees), the Dean's Scholarships ($20,000), and the Faculty Scholarships ($17,000). The awards are annual and renewable if the students maintain quality grades.

In Trinity's Academic Scholarship Competition, judges evaluated each contestant's personal interview, participation in group discussions of prominent public issues, and a timed essay-writing assignment. Award announcements are expected later this month.

"These are great students and it's really been fun to get to know them on an individual basis," Director of Admissions Jordan Bryant said. "It was clear that they're a good group of students who would really fit in well here at Trinity."

Invitees automatically qualify for the competition if they're accepted into the Trinity College Honors Program. They can also qualify for an invitation if they have earned a cumulative grade-point-average of 3.75 on a four-point scale, as well as a score of 28 or higher on the ACT, or at least a 1240 score on the SAT's critical reading and math sections.

The competitors came from 10 U.S. states and several international locations, including the United Kingdom and Tanzania. A few students who couldn't physically visit campus were allowed to compete via email and teleconferencing.

These students are in high demand, and often weigh several attractive scholarship offers from colleges and universities before making final choices. Many have very strong preferences as they seek out a place to continue their studies.

"A Christian school is what I want," said Peter Rykowski, a high school senior from Crystal Lake, Ill. "I also want a school with a good history department, and I think Trinity has that."

Dilliplane, who said she wants to pursue a career in communications or public relations, enjoyed the challenge of completing so many college-level classes while still in high school. She said she is looking for an environment that will continue to present her with rigorous academic challenges.

"Getting your education is one of the most important things you do in your life, and if you're not challenged, then you're not going to grow," Dilliplane said. "You need that challenge to be able to become a well-educated, well-rounded person."

Article Comments
Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked. If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the "flag" link in the lower-right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.