$670,000 in Scholarships Available From AXA Foundation in Association With U.S. News Media Group

NEW YORK, Aug. 24 /PRNewswire/ -- For the ninth year, U.S. News Media Group and the AXA Foundation, the philanthropic arm of AXA Equitable Life Insurance Company, announce the offering of the AXA Achievement (sm) Scholarships, awarding $670,000 to students nationwide.

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Through AXA Achievement (sm), AXA Equitable is one of the nation's largest corporate providers of scholarships and a comprehensive resource for information to help students and parents plan for college. Since its inception in 2003, AXA Achievement (sm) has provided over $18.5 million in scholarships to more than 3,900 students.

The U.S. News Media Group, a multi-platform digital publisher of news analysis and research and rankings, includes the monthly U.S. News & World Report magazine, the digital-only U.S. News Weekly magazine, www.usnews.com, and www.rankingsandreviews.com.  The U.S. News Best Colleges rankings, which groups schools based on categories created by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, has grown to be the most comprehensive research tool for students and parents considering higher education opportunities.

Applications are available now at www.axa-achievement.com, and the deadline for submissions is December 15, 2010. Additional details of the AXA Achievement (sm) program are featured in the U.S. News & World Report 2011 Best Colleges Guidebook available at bookstores today and in the Best Colleges magazine issue, on newsstands starting August 31.

"As attending college becomes more competitive and costly, AXA Achievement (sm) continues to be a valuable resource for students, providing both scholarship assistance and information for planning a successful future," said Bill Holiber, president of U.S. News Media Group. "We are proud to partner with the AXA Foundation as a way to help students who are making a difference, and their families, get a head start."

Under the AXA Achievement (sm) Scholarship program, 52 students – one from each state, plus Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico – are awarded scholarships of $10,000.  

Of those 52 students, 10 students are chosen as national winners and receive an additional $15,000 scholarship award, and the opportunity for an internship with AXA Equitable.

Qualified candidates will have demonstrated drive and determination to reach goals, the ability to succeed in a college environment, and respect for self, family, and community. The scholarship is administered by Scholarship Management Services™, a program of Scholarship America (sm), one of the nation's largest nonprofit private sector scholarship and educational support organizations.

About AXA Foundation

The AXA Foundation is the philanthropic arm of AXA Equitable, one of the nation's premier financial services organizations and a member of the global AXA Group, a worldwide leader in financial protection and wealth management. The Foundation directs the company's philanthropic and volunteer activities, working to improve the quality of life in communities across the country where AXA has a presence. Since 2003, the AXA Foundation has awarded over $18.5 million in college scholarships through its multifaceted flagship program, AXA Achievement, which provides resources that help make college possible: access and advice. More than 3,900 students, known as AXA Achievers, have received scholarships. For more information and to read about the 2010 AXA Achievers, visit http://www.axa-achievement.com/.

About the U.S. News Media Group

The U.S. News Media Group is a multi-platform digital publisher of news analysis, research and rankings which includes the monthly U.S. News & World Report magazine, the digital-only U.S. News Weekly magazine, www.usnews.com, and www.rankingsandreviews.com. Focusing on Health, Money, Education, and Politics & Policy, the U.S. News Media Group has earned a reputation as the leading provider of service news and information that improves the quality of life of its readers. The U.S. News Media Group's signature franchises include its News You Can Use® brand of journalism and its "Best" series of consumer guides that include rankings of colleges, graduate schools, hospitals, health plans, and more. 

SOURCE U.S. News Media Group