Distinguished / Presidential Distinguished merit
ListedCollege program
- Award
- First-year Distinguished/Presidential Distinguished awards up to $34,000 annually for 2027–28, tuition only; transfer awards up to $27,000 annually. Undergraduate merit is available for up to four years of full-time enrollment. Renewal requires successful completion of 24 credits per academic year and cumulative GPA at least 1.75 after the first year and 2.0 for upper-class students, plus good academic standing.
- Deadline
- Admission and scholarship offers are rolling, with no final admission deadline. January 15 is the published standing priority for automatic Distinguished scholarship consideration. The sponsor gives this recurring policy without a calendar year; no exact Fall 2027 date is claimed. No separate merit application is required.
- How to apply
- Apply for admission through Common App or Arcadia App and submit the high school transcript or self-reported grades; official transcript is required after admission and deposit. Ordinary first-year personal essay, activities, recommendations, and SAT/ACT are optional; special admission routes have additional requirements. Merit consideration is automatic after admission.
- What you'll need
- No separate application: you are considered when you apply for admission
- Who can apply
- First-year award review uses high school academic performance and school/community involvement; transfer review uses cumulative GPA and coursework. No numerical general entry GPA floor is stated. Full-time undergraduate enrollment required. International applicants use Common App and follow the international admission/testing requirements.
- Good to know
- Merit is tuition-specific and can be replaced or reduced when other awards cover tuition. FAFSA is used for federal and need-based grants; the merit policy does not require it. The historical full-tuition President’s award is not confirmed by the current $34,000 listing.