Washington State Cheerleading Scholarships

Washington State Cheer Scholarships

Finding and qualifying for cheerleading scholarships isn’t as easy as one might imagine – especially since most college cheerleader scholarships are only awarded after you have tried out for an been accepted to a college cheerleading squad. However a Washington State Cheer Coaches Association (WSCCA) Cheerleading Scholarship is easy to qualify for, and you don’t have to be accepted to a college cheerleading squad to win one of these cheer awards.

WSCCA Cheerleading Scholarships are awarded each year in amounts ranging from $1000 to $2500. These are one year, non-renewable scholarships, and the number of awards made each year varies. For the 2008 – 2009 selection, 18 scholarships were awarded, with sixteen $1000 scholarships, and two $2500 scholarships.

While this is a cheerleading award, the only requirements that you must meet in order to be eligible is that you carry a 3.0 Grade Point Average, that you are a senior in high school, and that your coach is a member of the WSCCA. If your coach is not a member of the WSCCA, your application will not be considered. Luckily, the coach is not limited to a certain number of students from his or her school that may apply for the Cheer scholarships.

When you are ready to apply for the WSCCA Cheerleading Scholarships, you must submit all required materials in one package. You cannot send required or requested items separately, or your application will not be considered. You must send the materials through regular postal mail as well, because certified or registered packets will not be accepted.

The application packet that you send in must consist of your application, your essay, three letters of recommendation, and other requested or required information. The application must be complete, and you must attach a photo of yourself to the front of the application, and a resume must also be included. The topic for the essay is any life skill you may have learned through cheerleading that will be helpful in the future, and it must be no more than five hundred words long.

One letter of recommendation must come from your cheerleading coach. The second letter must be from high school counselor, teacher, or administrator, and the third letter should be from a community service representative, such as a religious leader or volunteer supervisor. Each letter should be no more than one page long, and should include information about your academic achievements, leadership abilities, special qualities, and how you contribute to your cheerleading team, as well as how you serve your community.

Additionally, you must include your official high school transcript, a copy of your senior year schedule, and copies of any certificates or awards that you have received. Photos of you in action are also appreciated. All materials should be placed in a presentation notebook as well, and the notebook cannot contain more than twelve pages.

As you can see, a great deal of work goes into applying for a WSCCA Cheerleading scholarship, but when you need funds for college, the award is well worth the effort that you must put forth in applying because these cheer scholarships are usually guaranteed scholarships if you fit the criteria.