U.S. News & World Report Announces Winners for Second Path to College Scholarship Program

- Two High School Seniors Awarded $2,500 Each -

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Aug 01, 2017, 00:01 ET

WASHINGTON, Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- U.S. News & World Report, the global authority in education rankings, today announced the winners of its "Path to College" scholarship program, which was established to assist high school students pursuing a college degree. Alexis Huckbay of Gore High School in Gore, Oklahoma, and Connor Jolley of Millard North High School in Omaha, Nebraska, received merit-based awards of $2,500 each.

Both students have obtained top academic honors, with Huckbay graduating as class valedictorian and Jolley placing in the top 50 of a national debate tournament. Outside of academics, Huckbay enjoys playing the piano and Jolley is interested in computer science.

In their scholarship applications, students were asked to write about the most challenging aspects of the college search process. Huckbay said she found the biggest challenges to be meeting application deadlines, writing essays and considering the likelihood of employment postgraduation. She will pursue a degree in graphic design.

In his essay, Jolley addressed the financial challenges faced by college applicants. "When universities deny students' requests for more aid, a student must decide between a dream school and financial stability," he wrote. "Thus, determining if a school's quality outweighs its cost becomes a chief priority." Jolley plans to study software engineering.

"Searching for the right college can be an intimidating and lengthy process, especially as students balance the applications with their regular school work," said Anita Narayan, managing editor of Education at U.S. News. "Through this scholarship, we hope to alleviate some of the financial burden that comes with attending college, while also recognizing the achievements of these outstanding high school students."

In addition to the essay component, recipients are selected on the basis of academic performance, extracurricular activities, community volunteering, leadership honors and awards and paid work experience. Huckbay and Jolley were selected in the second scholarship round this year.

The scholarship is one of the efforts undertaken by the U.S. News Education channel, which publishes daily editorial content and annual rankings of the Best High Schools, Best Colleges, Best Global Universities, Best Graduate Schools and Best Online Programs. For more information on U.S. News initiatives, follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

About U.S. News & World Report
U.S. News & World Report is a digital news and information company that empowers people to make better, more informed decisions about important issues affecting their lives. Focusing on Education, Health, Personal Finance, Travel, Cars and News & Opinion, USNews.com provides consumer advice, rankings, news and analysis to serve people making complex decisions throughout all stages of life. More than 30 million people visit USNews.com each month for research and guidance. Founded in 1933, U.S. News is headquartered in Washington, D.C.

SOURCE U.S. News & World Report