FAQ - The Coolidge | A Scholarship for America

Scholarship FAQ

When does the 2023-24 Coolidge Scholarship application open? The 2023-24 application is now open! You can apply today here.

When is the 2023-24 Coolidge Scholarship Application deadline? The 2023-24 application deadline is Thursday, January 18, 2024 at 5:00 PM Pacific time. All application materials, including letters of reference must be submitted by the deadline.

What does a Coolidge Scholarship Cover? A Coolidge Scholarship is among the most generous college scholarships available in the world. It covers a student’s full tuition, room and board, and required fees for four years of undergraduate study. The Coolidge Scholarship also provides an annual stipend for books and supplies.

How is the Coolidge Scholarship different from other scholarships? The Coolidge Scholarship is America’s “unconditional” merit scholarship, granted regardless of geographic location, race, family background, family income, area of study or university to be attended. Coolidge Scholars are named prior to university application, and can take their award to any accredited U.S. college or university where they gain admittance.

Why Coolidge? The only modern president who translated Dante from the Italian for amusement, Coolidge prized undergraduate education and believed it established men and women for life. “No question can be adequately comprehended without knowing its historical background,” Coolidge wrote. Mrs. Coolidge, the first professional first lady, graduated from the University of Vermont and also prized education.

What is the Coolidge Foundation? The Coolidge Scholars Program is a program of the Calvin Coolidge Presidential Foundation. The Coolidge Foundation is an independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit based in Plymouth Notch, Vermont, the President’s birthplace. For more information about the Coolidge Foundation, please visit: www.coolidgefoundation.org.

What restrictions does the Coolidge Scholarship have in regard to the university I can attend? Essentially none. The Coolidge Scholarship may be used at any accredited American college or university where the student gains admittance.

Does the Coolidge Scholarship guarantee me university admission? No. Students must apply directly to the university or universities they seek to attend. Receiving the Coolidge Scholarship is conditional upon gaining admittance to an accredited college or university in the U.S.

Must I pursue any particular academic major or field of study to be considered for the Coolidge Scholarship? No, the Coolidge Scholarship is open to students regardless of their intended discipline of study. Read more about the selection criteria here.

How old is the Coolidge Scholars Program? The Coolidge Scholars Program launched in the winter of 2016 and the inaugural class was formally inducted in July 2016. The 2023-24 application cycle will mark the ninth year of the Coolidge Scholarship.

How many Coolidge Scholars are selected each year? The Coolidge Foundation anticipates awarding two or three new Coolidge Scholarships from applications received in the 2023-24 application cycle.

If I am named a finalist, where will the Finalist Interview Weekend take place? The Coolidge Foundation gives each application serious consideration. Thank you for your patience as we complete this process. The Coolidge Foundation intends to name up to ten finalists who will be invited to Finalist Interview Weekend, which takes place in Woodstock, Vermont and historic Plymouth Notch, Vermont. During this weekend the finalists will each interview with the Coolidge Scholarship Finalist Jury. The Coolidge Scholars Program will cover the associated transportation, lodging, and meal costs for each finalist and one parent or legal guardian. Finalists will be notified directly.

Are applicants who are not named finalists still contacted? Yes. All applicants will be notified by the summer of 2024 of the outcome of their application. Updates will be posted to applicants’ online application portals.

I know the Coolidge Scholarship receives many applications. Is it still worth applying? Yes! Although very few candidates can win the Coolidge Scholarship, there are many benefits to applying. First, the finalists who are invited to interview but do not ultimately win the Coolidge Scholarship are eligible to receive a one-time Finalist Award scholarship. In addition, a larger group of top applicants to the Scholarship are designated as “Coolidge Senators” which is in itself, a very high honor. Each summer the Coolidge Foundation hosts a Coolidge Senators Summit in Washington D.C. During the Summit, students tour the nation’s capital, learn about President Coolidge, and have the chance to meet their fellow Senators from across the country. Finally, many applicants report that they are glad they applied even if they did not win because going through the Coolidge Scholarship application process positioned them well to apply to college and other scholarships. More information on the Coolidge Senators Program can be found here.

Application FAQ

When I try to create an account, a message appears saying “There was an error submitting your request. Please try again.” What should I do? To resolve this issue, try accessing the application here. This is the same application that appears on the “Apply” page, just not embedded in the Coolidge Scholars website.

When I try to create an account, a message appears saying that it can’t verify that I am a human. What should I do? To resolve this issue try clearing your browser cache and/or changing browsers. If that does not fix the issue you may need to use a different internet or Wifi network.

I have input all required information into the Profile form, but when I hit the “Save” button at the bottom of the form page a message in red appears that says “X Error saving data” and I can’t proceed with the application. What can I do? To resolve this issue, click the “Save Draft” button to the left of the “Save” button. Then scroll back to the top of the Profile form and click on the blue link at the top of the page labeled “Homepage”. Once on the Homepage, click on the paper and pencil icon in the Profile section. This will take you back into the Profile form. Now scroll to the bottom of the Profile form and try clicking the “Save” button again. If all required form fields of the Profile form have been completed, then this should correctly save your Profile and you should be able to proceed with the rest of the application.

I am trying to submit my application but the submit button isn’t working. What can I do? This issue occurs when there are parts of your application that have not been completed and saved. If your “Honesty Statement,” “Letters of Reference” and/or “Academic Information” form is tagged as “Action Required,” rather than “Complete” you will not be able to submit your application. In this case, go to the corresponding form and ensure all items have been completed and saved.

I have agreed to write a letter of recommendation for a student, are there any guidelines for the letter? Thank you for agreeing to provide a letter of recommendation! Guidelines for letter writers are available here.

The writers of my letters of recommendation have not yet uploaded their letters. Can I submit my application prior to my letter writers uploading their letters? Yes. Students can submit their applications as soon as they are ready. The letters from your letter writers are submitted through a separate portal and will be paired with your application when everything is received. Even after you have submitted your application, you can log into your portal to check the status of your recommendation letters.

The second and third essay questions ask me to read The Autobiography of Calvin Coolidge. Where can I find a copy of this book? The Coolidge Foundation recently published a new edition of the Autobiography, which includes a new introduction and additional supplemental material. The Foundation’s edition is available for purchase, here. An e-reader version of the new edition is also available for purchase from Amazon, here. Older editions of the Autobiography are also acceptable for you to read, and can be found at most libraries. A free version of an older edition of Coolidge’s Autobiography can also be accessed here from Archive.org. Disclaimer: Archive.org is a third-party site and is in no way affiliated with the Coolidge Scholars Program or the Calvin Coolidge Presidential Foundation.

I want to include citations in my essays. How can I do this? We encourage applicants to include citations in their essays, particularly if they have used sources beyond Coolidge’s Autobiography. Please use parenthetical citations within the essays rather than creating a bibliography (which would severely cut into your word count). The parenthetical citation should follow the sentences being referenced and should include the title of the publication and a page number, if relevant. For instance, a parenthetical citation for a quote from page 12 of The Autobiography of Calvin Coolidge would appear as: (The Autobiography of Calvin Coolidge, 12).

Who should I choose to write my two letters of reference? You should select one person who can speak directly to your academic abilities and one person who can speak to your character and/or accomplishments outside of the classroom.

Can I list more than two letter writers on the Letters of Reference form? No. Only two letters of reference can be submitted on behalf of an applicant.

Can I have multiple people co-write one of my letters of reference? No. Each letter of reference should be written/signed by only one individual. Co-written letters of reference are not permitted.

I just found out that one of my letter writers, who I have already listed on the Letters of Reference form, is unable to submit their a letter by the scholarship deadline. What should I do? Simply delete the old listing and create a new one for your new letter writer. You can do this even if you have already submitted your application.

One of my letter writers did not receive an automated email after I listed them as a letter writer. What should I do? If your letter writer does not receive the automated email, first try sending them a reminder email. You can do this by clicking on the “Remind” button next to their name on the listing page. This will send them another email with a link to upload their letter. You are able to send your letter writers a reminder once every 24 hours. If they still do not receive the reminder email, then you should delete their listing and create a new listing with an alternate email address for them. If your letter writers does not receive the email at the new address or continues to experience other technical difficulties, please request that they simply email their letter as a Microsoft Word or PDF attachment to coolidgescholars@coolidgefoundation.org, with your name in the subject line of the email.

I input my letter writer’s email incorrectly. What do I do? If a letter writer’s email is incorrect, please delete the old Letter of Reference listing and then create a new listing for the letter writer with the correct email address. This will trigger a new email to be sent out to the correct email address.

What should I put as the value for the “Maximum Possible Cumulative GPA” box on my application? We understand some students’ GPAs may be greater than the “Maximum Possible Cumulative GPA” if their high school gives extra weight for advanced placement or other courses. For example, a high school’s maximum possible GPA might be 4.0, but a student taking AP courses might actually have a 5.3 GPA . In this example, the student would enter 5.3 in the “Cumulative GPA” box and 4.0 for the “Maximum Possible Cumulative GPA” box. Note: the value you enter for “Cumulative GPA” should always be what’s reported on your most recent transcript.

Can I submit an unofficial copy of my high school transcript? Yes. If you are named a finalist, however, the Coolidge Foundation will be in touch with your high school to request an official copy of your transcript.

I do not have access to the most recent version of my transcript, class rank, and/or GPA until after the scholarship deadline. What should I do? If you are not able to report the most recent version of your transcript/class rank/GPA, simply report the most recent version that you do have access to. Unfortunately, we are not able to update applications after the scholarship deadline.

I will receive an updated test score, transcript, GPA, or class rank after the scholarship deadline. Can I add it to my application after the deadline? Unfortunately, the Coolidge Foundation is not able to accept additional application materials or updates after the scholarship deadline.

I am a homeschool student, how should I complete the application fields that relate to a traditional high school? Please refer to our guidelines for homeschool students.

I just realized that some of the information that I filled out on the application is incorrect or has changed. What should I do? If you realize that some piece of information that you included on your application is not accurate and you have not yet submitted your full application, you are still able to edit it. If you have already submitted, please contact us at coolidgescholars@coolidgefoundation.org with the relevant information on what needs changed. DO NOT submit a new application.

I have completed the entire application and am ready to submit but the “Submit” button is inactive and won’t let me click it. What should I do? Make sure that all of your forms have been completed and submitted. If your “Honesty Statement,” “Letters of Reference” or “Academic Information” forms are still listed as “In Progress” rather than “Completed,” you will not be able to submit your application. It is likely that you may have an uncompleted letter of reference listing. If this is the case, go into that form and delete it. Afterwards, you should be able to submit your application.

When I go to log into the application portal, the portal deletes my login information and reloads the page. What should I do? Are you using Safari as your internet browser? The default privacy settings in one of the latest versions of Safari may cause problems with our portal. To resolve these issues, you can either adjust your privacy settings (see below question) or simply switch to a different browser – Google Chrome works best and Mozilla Firefox rarely encounters problems.

How do I change my Safari Privacy settings to allow access to the application portal? To change your privacy settings in Safari, first go to Safari’s “Preferences” and select the “Privacy” tab. From there, you will see a heading that says “Cookies and website data:” with several radio buttons following it. Select the radio button the reads “Always allow”. You should now be able to log into the application portal. If you do not wish to alter your settings, we recommend that you log in using a different internet browser. The screenshot below shows the recommended Safari Privacy settings.

I am having technical problems logging into the application portal with my mobile device. What should I do? If you are using an iPhone or other handheld Apple device that uses Safari as its internet browser, you may encounter the same sorts of login issues described above. As mentioned before, the default privacy settings in Safari may cause problems with our portal. To change these, go to the Safari settings under the “Settings” application on the home screen of your device. Scroll down to the “Privacy and Security” settings and select the “Block Cookies” option. From here, select the “Always Allow” option. This should allow you access to the application portal from your mobile Apple device. The screenshot below shows the recommended settings.