Countdown to College: the Homeschoolers’ Guide and the e-Forms Disk include three pages of scholarship search engines and individual scholarship grantors (live links in the e-Forms Disk!). But even though we update the disk every summer, we can’t include everything. So periodically, I’ll include new information about scholarships here.

The Gordon A. Rich Scholarship ($50,000 in increments of $12,500/year renewable for 4 years)

Description: With the financial industry in disarray, many who work or have worked in the field are facing layoffs, radically decreased income and financial distress that they never dreamed possible. Gordon A. Rich Scholarship offers $50,000 to five talented students each year whose parents worked in troubled financial services companies. The scholarship particularly targets students who display

1. Academic excellence and creativity beyond the GPA and test scores
2. Extracurricular achievement in leadership and service to their communities
3. Financial need

Final selection for this scholarship will depend heavily on the responses to application questions about the student’s aspirations, unusual circumstances that have impacted the student, and a 500 word essay: Drawing on your own interests, accomplishments and experiences, tell how you’ve embodied the passion, spirit and ideals exemplified in the life of Gordon Rich.

Application Inclusions: Application form, one adult recommendation, official transcript, ACT or SAT scores, financial information from parents’ most recent tax forms. CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE must be completed and filed by Feb. 28, 2009 (online at http://www.collegeboard.com)

Deadline: Applications accepted between Dec. 1, 2008 and Feb. 28, 2009 (postmarked date).

This scholarship’s deadline is later than most major scholarships. So if you have been employed in the financial world and have not yet applied for many scholarships, get this application in early. Only the first 125 applications will be processed!