Competitive Freshman Programs Application

 

Application Deadline: February 1

All application materials must be fully completed and submitted by midnight, February 1.

Before you start this application, be aware of the following:

Admission to the University

For competitive program consideration, you must be admitted or have submitted all application materials (Application for Undergraduate Admission, $35 application fee, ACT or SAT score, and high school transcript) by the application deadline of February 1.  No offers will be extended to students who are not admitted.

Guidelines for Receiving Freshman Scholarships

Students and parents should be fully aware of the policies governing the receipt of freshman scholarships at The University of Southern Mississippi.

Outcome Correspondence

Outcome letters for these selection processes will be mailed in late February (Honors College admission) and in March (Leadership, Luckyday, and Presidential Scholarships).  You will receive an outcome letter only if you have fully completed and submitted all application materials. These letters will be mailed to you at the address you provided on your Application for Undergraduate Admission.

Email and Scholar Select

It is extremely important that you supply valid email addresses.  Correspondence from Scholar Select related to the submission of your application will be sent to the email addresses provided. If you do not receive those emails in your inbox, check to see if Scholar Select emails are in your junk/spam folder.  If they are in your junk/spam folder, then be sure to add Scholar Select to your safe sender list (or indicate that you wish to receive their emails).

Recommendations

It is your responsibility to ensure the timely completion of submission of electronic evaluations from recommenders (evaluations are not required for applicants only seeking consideration for the Leadership Scholarship).  It is your responsibility to provide a valid email address for those individuals and to verify that they have successfully received email communication from Scholar Select. 

Technical Difficulties with Application

If you need assistance, please call the Office of Admissions at (601) 266-5000 Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. or email scholarships@usm.edu.

Understanding This Application

This application exists in three parts:

Step 1: Competitive Freshman Programs Application

Completing and submitting the information inside this application is your first step. You must complete this part of the application regardless of which scholarship or program for which you are seeking consideration. In this part, you will complete and submit the following:

  • Biographical information
  • Financial assessment
  • History of extracurricular activities and honors
  • Contact information for your high school counselor (name, phone, and valid email address)
  • Contact information for a teacher recommendation* (name, phone, and valid email address) * The teacher recommendation is not required if you are only seeking consideration for the Leadership Scholarship.

Once you have completed the Competitive Freshman Programs Application, you have also fully applied for the Leadership Scholarship.  There is nothing additionally required for consideration.  If you intend to apply for the Luckyday Foundation Citizenship Program and/or Honors College admission/Presidential Scholarship, then you must complete and submit supplemental application(s).

2013 Supplemental Luckyday Foundation Citizenship Program Application

In order to be considered for the Luckyday Foundation Citizenship Program, you must complete and submit both the Competitive Freshman Programs Application and the Luckyday Foundation Citizenship Program Application. In this supplemental Luckyday application, you must complete and submit:

  • NOTE: A teacher recommendation must be received in order to be considered for the Luckyday Scholarship.  You will be prompted to submit that information in the Step 1: Competitive Freshman Programs Application.
  • Two essay responses
  • Contact information for an adviser/sponsor recommendation (name, phone and valid email address)

2013 Supplemental Honors College/Presidential Scholarship Application

In order to be considered for admission to the Honors College/Presidential Scholarship, you must complete and submit both the Competitive Freshman Programs Application and the Honors College/Presidential Scholarship Application. In this supplemental Honors College application, you must complete and submit:
  • NOTE: A teacher recommendation must be received in order to be considered for Honors College admission/Presidential Scholarship.  You will be prompted to submit that information in the Step 1: Competitive Freshman Programs Application.
  • Two essay responses

The application for admission to the Honors College serves as the application for the Presidential Scholarship; there is nothing additional that must be submitted.  All students who are offered admission to the Honors College and who meet the minimum consideration criteria for the Presidential Scholarship (composite 30 ACT or 1330 SAT or higher) will receive consideration for the Presidential Scholarship.