Saving with a 529 plan is one of the best ways to help your children pay for college. But it’s not the only way.

CollegeCounts is proud to help students get a head start on their college education. Over the last seven years, we have provided more than $6 million in scholarships to deserving students right here in Alabama.

This May, we awarded a record amount of $1,274,000 in scholarship dollars to 374 high school seniors who have big dreams for their future. Those recipients represent 195 high schools in 65 of the 67 counties across our state. This was the fourth straight year that CollegeCounts has awarded more than $1 million to future college freshmen.

This year, our goal is to have a scholarship winner from every county in the state of Alabama! Help us spread the word about this great opportunity, and if you know someone who will be starting college in the fall of 2020, make sure they apply.

Eligibility requirements include:

• Must be a high school senior or first-time college freshman beginning in fall 2020
• Must be e a U.S. citizen
• Must be an Alabama resident
• Plan to enroll in an Alabama eligible educational institution in fall 2020
• Demonstrate financial need
• Have a minimum GPA of 2.75
• Have an ACT score of 26 or below (applicants attending two-year schools are not required to submit ACT scores)

Scholarship awards are available for students who plan to attend either a two-year or a four-year college in Alabama. Students planning to attend a four-year college are eligible for a $4,000 scholarship. Awards of up to $2,000 will be available for students planning to attend a two-year college. The CollegeCounts Scholarship is a one-time, non-renewable award that will be paid directly to the college on behalf of the student.

Students can begin applying for the scholarship in early December of 2019. Be sure to set a calendar reminder and watch for more information in our quarterly newsletters, on the CollgeCounts Facebook page, and at CollegeCounts529.com. High school guidance counselors throughout Alabama will also have more information about the scholarship as the application period approaches.

We are excited to continue helping Alabama students and families with the CollegeCounts scholarship. These students are the future of our state, and we want to help give them the best start possible as they begin pursuing their dreams!