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Updated: April 16, 2024 @ 4:34 am
Godley High School senior Thomas Zach, right, was named a Commended Student in the 2024 National Merit Scholarship Program. Also pictured is GHS Principal Kurtis Flood.
Godley High School senior Thomas Zach, right, was named a Commended Student in the 2024 National Merit Scholarship Program. Also pictured is GHS Principal Kurtis Flood.
As the school year approaches its final days, more and more seniors at Godley High School are receiving scholarships and rewards for their academic accomplishments.
Each year, the high school recognizes seniors who have received scholarships at the senior awards ceremony. This includes academic, athletic, extracurricular and all other scholarship categories.
Last year, seniors earned a cumulative total of $748,000 dollars through scholarships alone, and this year, the school intends to only increase this number. Though this is a challenging goal, the class of 2024 has already proven their potential to achieve it.
One such example is senior Thomas Zach, who has advanced to the finalist stage in multiple scholarships. Thomas excelled in the application process for both the Gates Scholarship, which pays full tuition, and the Hagan Scholarship valued at over $25,000.
“The importance [of scholarships] is immense in my opinion,” Thomas said. “Obviously college is not the most economical choice for most, and with how many scholarships are given out based on the character and personality of an individual, it doesn’t make sense to not apply.”
Earning a scholarship can be exciting, but in Thomas’ case, advancing to finalist proved more relaxing than anything else.
“I was not necessarily surprised, but more so relieved that my hard work over the past four years has started to show results that directly affect my future,” said Thomas, when asked about his advancement to finalist in the Hagan Scholarship.
Scholarships create a significant impact on the college decision-making process, especially for students who are considering more prestigious and expensive schools. In Thomas’ case, his top schools make his decision process reliant on scholarship outcomes.
“Some colleges on my mind right now are [Texas Christian University], [Abilene Christian University], as well as [The University of Texas at] Austin,” Thomas said. “For me, scholarships affect the decision-making process in a very large way due to the financial burden of a college education, especially when taking into consideration the schools I am interested in.”
Because scholarships are so important in the college process, it is crucial to teach young students how to gain a head start on competing and applying for scholarships. Thomas’ advice to young students is to use search tools provided by the institution or found online.
“One of the biggest ways in exploring the countless scholarships available would be to use external resources that filter these scholarships for you,” he said. “Several colleges have their own ‘finder’ for scholarships that can be directly applied via their financial aid programs, but services such as GoingMerry, School Links and more are amazing tools, too.”
Beyond search tools however, Thomas has also found assistance through those who have already experienced the college application process.
“The most helpful in my college application journey have definitely been my friends that are currently in college, as well as my peers around me right now,” he said. “Being able to hear of their experiences, and gain a sense of campus life and any educational stress they are subjected to has been the biggest thing I have come to understand through their experiences.”
Thomas is just one of the many students who will be recognized at Godley High School’s Senior Awards Night to display the outstanding academic performance of the Class of 2024.
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