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2015 GE-Reagan Foundation Scholarship Program
Deadline: January 8, 2015
Apply online through
www.reaganfoundation.org/scholarships or
http://facebook.com/GEReaganScholarships
Guidelines
Welcome to the GE-Reagan Foundation Scholarship Program online application, sponsored by
The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and GE. This program acknowledges and rewards
America’s foremost young leaders who demonstrate the leadership, drive, integrity, and
citizenship exhibited by President Reagan throughout his life. Like President Reagan, candidates
use the formative experiences of their youth to lead, serve, and pursue a life of purpose and
significance, both individually and for their communities. Each year, roughly 20 Scholars will
receive a $10,000 scholarship that is renewable and may be used over a period of six (6)
consecutive years from the initial award date for a total award of $40,000.
Scholarship Management Services, a division of Scholarship America, is administering this
program.
Who is eligible?
GE-Reagan Foundation Scholars candidates must:
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demonstrate at school, at the workplace, and within the community the attributes of
leadership, drive, integrity, and citizenship;
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demonstrate strong academic performance (minimum 3.0 grade point average/4.0 scale or
equivalent);
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demonstrate financial need as determined by Scholarship Management Services;
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be citizens of the United States of America;
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be high school seniors attending high school in the United States, or any of the U.S.
territories and commonwealths and graduating in winter 2014 or spring 2015. Applicants
living on a U.S. Armed Forces base and attending high school outside the U.S. are
eligible. Home-schooled students who are graduating in winter 2014 or spring 2015 are
also eligible.
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plan to enroll in a full-time undergraduate course of study toward a bachelor’s degree at
an accredited four-year college or university in the United States for the entire 2015-2016
academic year.
In addition to those not meeting these criteria, the following individuals and members of their
immediate families are ineligible for this award: employees and members of the Board of
Trustees of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation; employees and docents of the National
Archives and Records Administration (NARA) who administer the Ronald Reagan Library;
members of the GE-Reagan Foundation Scholarship Program advisory committee; employees,
commercial customers of and suppliers to the General Electric Company; employees of
Scholarship America; and employees of any affiliates, subsidiaries, advertising and promotion
agencies of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and General Electric.
Candidates may learn about the history of the GE-Reagan Foundation Scholarship Program at
http://www.reaganfoundation.org/GE-RFScholarships.aspx. Applicants and others are also
encouraged to follow the program on Facebook, although participation in Facebook networking
and activities is not required to be eligible. Students who attend high school in Ventura County,
California, may be eligible for the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation Scholars Program,
which requires a different application.
When is the program open period?
Qualified candidates may apply online starting October 13, 2014 through January 8, 2015 or
until 25,000 applications are submitted, whichever comes first. Candidates must complete the
secure online application and all of its components prior to the deadline or before 25,000
applications are submitted. Deadline extensions will not be granted, and incomplete applications
will be disqualified. If the program reaches 25,000 applications before 11:59 PM CST on the
deadline date of January 8, 2015, it will automatically close.
How do I apply?
Before beginning the application process please read the following guidelines and instructions.
Print this information and keep on file for reference of program procedures and important
dates.
Only online applications via this website will be accepted. You, the student, are responsible for
gathering and submitting all required information. This is a competitive program. Your
application is evaluated on the information supplied; therefore, answer all applicable questions as
completely as possible. Read and follow the instructions provided for each section of the online
application. Do not mail any documents to GE, The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation or
Scholarship Management Services before being invited to do so as a semifinalist. Materials
submitted in hard copy prior to the semifinalist stage will not be considered and will be
discarded.
Before registering, you may wish to gather the following information needed to submit your
application:
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Parent or alternate contact’s telephone number and email address
Most recent transcript of grades
Extracurricular and volunteer activities
Work experience
Short statement of your educational and career objectives
Ideas on your leadership experience for the essay
Names, titles, telephone numbers, and email addresses of your high school principal,
guidance counselor, and one other person at your school, in your community or at your
workplace who can speak to your qualifications. These three individuals may be
contacted by the Foundation to support and verify your application information. You
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must certify you have secured one of the three to be your nominator if needed at a later
stage in the process.
Financial information from your parents’ most recently filed tax return
Ready to start?
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Click on 'Register to Apply' at the bottom of this page.
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Read and agree to the Online Application Consent, then register with a username and
password to create your account.
Write your username and password down and keep it on file so you can access your
application. If you lose this information, you must start over by registering with a new
email address, username and password.
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Correspondence throughout the application process will be by email. Students failing to
register with a valid active email account that will accommodate bulk mail may not
receive necessary notices or consideration for an award. Add [email protected] to your contacts or address book so emails arrive in your
inbox not as junk mail. Some communications after the initial application period ends
may be via U.S. postal mail.
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Use standard capitalization: Jane Smith, not JANE SMITH or jane smith.
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Application pages may be completed in any order and you may revisit any page before
submitting the application.
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You may leave the site before submitting by clicking Save and Log Out on the left
navigation bar. You must enter your username and password to log back into your
application.
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Carefully read the instructions at the top of each application section and formatting tips
alongside some fields.
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Required fields are marked with an asterisk (*). You will be unable to lock and submit
your application until all required information is provided.
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Instructions for completing the Financial Data section of the application are included
below.
Top of page.
Ready to submit your application?
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Review your application carefully.
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You may make changes to any section until the application is submitted. Be sure to
review again after each change.
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When you are satisfied all information is accurate and complete, print a copy for your
records from the Review page. Do not send a printed copy to Scholarship Management
Services.
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Submit the application by following the instructions on the 'Review Application' page.
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After you lock and submit the application, no changes can be made and you can no
longer print a copy. Your account will be closed and you will have no further access to
your application data.
How are recipients selected and notified?
Qualified applicants will be evaluated on their leadership, drive, integrity, and citizenship at
school, at home, at the workplace, and within the community based on the information provided
in the online application. Scholarship Management Services will select 120 semifinalists on a
competitive and diverse basis from all eligible applicants. Semifinalists will be notified by email
on or before February 3, 2015. Applicants not selected as semifinalists also will be notified by
email at this time. This is a competitive program. Not all applicants to the program will be
selected as semifinalists and not all semifinalists will be selected as recipients.
Semifinalists will be required to submit the following documentation within 11 days of the
emailed notification:
1. Current complete transcript of high school grades
2. Nomination form completed by an eligible community leader, preferably a high school
principal, elected official or an executive director of a nonprofit organization
3. First two pages of the most recently filed IRS Form 1040 on which applicant was claimed
as a dependent
Do not mail any documents to GE, The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation or Scholarship
Management Services before being invited to do so as a semifinalist. Materials submitted in hard
copy prior to the semifinalist stage will not be considered and will be discarded.
Scholarship Management Services will select a diverse group of finalists from the semifinalists
who return all required documents by the deadline date. The GE-Reagan Foundation Scholarship
Program selection committee will review finalist applications, interview top candidates via
Skype or telephone and select up to 20 recipients.
Recipients will be notified by the end of April by U.S. mail with a return mailer for verifying
enrollment. Semifinalists and finalists not selected as recipients will be notified by email at this
same time. Scholarship Management Services will send all notifications.
All applicants agree to accept the scholarship decisions as final. No application feedback will be
given.
What are the details of the award?
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Approximately 20 awards of $10,000 each will be granted. Awards will not exceed
$10,000.
 Awards are renewable and may be used over a period of six (6) consecutive years from
the initial award date for a total award of $40,000 on the basis of continued enrollment at
an accredited four-year college or university in the U.S. with a full-time course load, a
GPA of 3.0 or higher, and submission of a written personal update. Recipients are
strongly encouraged to continue the leadership and service they demonstrated in high
school and to stay engaged with the program sponsors.
 Awards are for undergraduate and graduate studies and may be used for education-related
expenses, including tuition, fees, books, supplies, room and board.
In the United States, scholarship funds used exclusively for the payment of tuition or books are
normally not taxable. The recipient is responsible for taxes, if any, that may be assessed against
the scholarship award. Applicants should consult a tax advisor or IRS Publication 970 for more
guidance.
How and when are scholarships paid?
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Scholarship Management Services will issue checks on behalf of GE and The Ronald
Reagan Presidential Foundation in two equal installments on August 15 and December
30.
Checks are mailed from Scholarship Management Services to each recipient's home
address and are made payable to the school for the student.
Recipient Obligations
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Recipients must complete and submit a signed Scholarship Acceptance Form before
funds can be processed.
Recipients are required to notify Scholarship Management Services of any change in
address, school enrollment or other relevant information and to send a complete transcript
when requested.
Recipients and their parents will be invited to attend a special awards program in summer
2015.
Recipients must enroll as a full-time undergraduate in fall 2015 and continue the entire
academic year without interruption unless approved by the scholarship sponsor.
Recipients must notify their school about the award and deliver the scholarship checks to
the school in a timely manner.
Terms and Conditions
GE and The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation reserve the right to review the conditions
and procedures of this scholarship program and to make changes at any time, including
termination of the program.
Questions? Contact us:
Email: [email protected]
Call: 1-507-931-1682 and ask for the GE-Reagan Foundation Scholarship Program
Applicants should anticipate a response to inquiries within one business day. Personnel at GE
and The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation cannot address applicant questions.
Register to Apply
Instructions for Providing Financial Information
The Financial Data section of the application should be completed for the parents. Adjusted
gross income and total federal income tax amounts should be from the most recently filed tax
return.
State of Residence is the state where the parents reside and pay state income tax.
Adjusted Gross Income can be found on IRS Form 1040 and is gross income reduced by
specific adjustments allowed by law.
U.S. Total Federal Tax Paid includes the total amount of federal income tax to be paid as
reported on IRS Form 1040. This is not the amount withheld from employee paychecks. (The
amount withheld should be adjusted by any refund or additional taxes due.) Do not report state
income tax.
Total Income earned should be reported individually. Provide information for both natural
parents, when possible. If the applicant resides with only one parent, financial information
must be received from the parent who claims the child as a dependent for tax purposes. If a
parent has remarried, the spouse's information is required if the spouse is a legal guardian of the
student, or claims the student as a dependent, or the student is included in the spouse's benefit
plan. If necessary, a separate printed Supplemental Financial Data Form (PDF - requires
Adobe Reader) may be mailed by the student in order for one to be completed by each parent.
Untaxed Income and Benefits include any other income or benefits not included in the adjusted
gross income figure. Do not include untaxed contributions to retirement plans.
Medical and Dental Expenses include only those expenses not paid by insurance. Do not
include premium payments.
Total Cash, Checking, Savings, Cash value of stocks, etc., include liquid assets that can be
used for educational expenses. Do not include IRA, 401k or other retirement plan funds. Include
Savings Plan 529.
Total Number of Family Members living in the household and primarily supported by the
reported income may include:
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the applicant
the applicant's parents
other children living in the household
dependent college students living away from home
other people who live in the household and receive more than half of their support from
the reported income
Marital Status is the current status of the person from whom the financial information is
submitted.
Of the total number of family members, number of students attending college includes
family members attending a two- or four-year college, university, or vocational-technical school
at least half-time. Include the applicant in this number. Do not include parents.