Merit Scholarship
Founders Scholarships are merit-based awards granted to the top applicants entering grades 3 through 12. The awards are designed to recognize those students whose academic standards and strength of character embody Country Day’s mission.
Prospective students who apply for a Founders Scholarship will be notified of their amount with their offer of admission to Country Day. Founders Scholarships are renewed on an annual basis, at the original amount, as long as the recipient remains in good academic and disciplinary standing, demonstrates an ongoing commitment to the community through involvement in school activities, and continues to uphold the virtues of respect, responsibility, integrity, courage, and compassion. Merit award scholarships cannot be combined with need-based awards. Current and formerly enrolled students are not eligible.
Founders Scholarship awards for grades 3 through 8 range in value from $2,000-$12,500 per year. Awards for grades 9 through 12 range from $2,000-$17,500 per year. Qualified applicants will have strong ISEE or Otis-Lennon School Ability Test results, an excellent academic record and will have demonstrated their ability to live the values of Country Day: respect, responsibility, integrity, courage and compassion.
Interested applicants for grades 3 and 4 are required to have a Founders Scholar recommendation completed on their behalf. The recommendation should be completed by an adult who knows the applicant well and must be submitted to the Admission Office by the December 1 application deadline. Download the Founders Scholar recommendation form here.
Scholarship applicants entering grades 5 through 12 must submit an essay. Download the Founders Scholar essay prompt here.
Awards are determined based on the criteria above and will be communicated to the student and family along with the admission decision. These awards are renewable throughout the duration of the student’s enrollment at Country Day, so long as the student remains in good academic and disciplinary standing and the parent remains current with payments on the student account. Approximately, 12.5% of the students at Country Day from grades 3-12 are Founders Scholars.