The Forman Scholars program is one of our cornerstone initiatives. Since 2014, exemplary students from Salem City have been awarded $50,000 scholarships to be applied to their college education. Forman Scholars are not only provided with a financial award to put toward their college expenses but are also exposed to mentorship and networking opportunities that encourage them to connect with fellow Scholars and our staff.

If you have any questions, please contact Kim Smith, Scholarship Director, at kim@formanscholars.org.

2024 Application for Seniors

The 2024 application is now available and can be completed HERE.

The deadline for submission is November 22, 2024, by 11:59 pm EST. Successful applicants will become members of the 2025-26 freshman cohort of Forman Scholars and be eligible for $50,000 ($12,500 per year) at their chosen college or university.

We recommend students review these tips to ensure their applications are the best they can be.

Important Information To Keep In Mind

• We are looking for students with well-rounded experiences, leadership qualities, commitment to community service, and who demonstrate a financial need.

• Please be intentional about the written portion of your application; this is how we, as a committee, get to know you better. Be sure to answer the question on the application.

• You will need two recommendation letters, with at least one from a teacher. Guidance counselors are not permitted by the Foundation to submit recommendations. It's best to use a referral who knows you, your character, and your work ethic and can adequately express their view of you through a recommendation.

• The 2025-26 FAFSA is a required form to be selected as a Scholar. This year, the Department of Education announced the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) will not be available until December 2024. Once the application is open, you will have 2 weeks to complete your FAFSA and send it to the Foundation to add to your application.

Selection Criteria & Eligibility Requirements

At the time of their application, students must:

• Be in their senior year of high school.

• Be residents of Salem City or attend school in Salem City.

• Be enrolled in the Foundation’s Acorn Fund before submitting their scholarship application.

• Demonstrate above-average academic promise, as evidenced by a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher.

  • Note: You do not have to be enrolled in an honors program to apply.

• Complete the 2024-25 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) (Available December 2024).

• Complete the Student Aid Index (SAI) calculator.

• Possess well-rounded experiences, leadership qualities and a commitment to community service.

• Intend to enroll in a college or university in September 2025.

Selection Process

Our Scholarship Committee, which is comprised of educators, graduates of Salem High School and members of the Foundation’s staff, is diligent and intentional in evaluating each student as a full package. There is no specific calculation that will have an individual as an ideal candidate; each candidate is evaluated on grades, financial need, who you are as an individual, and your ability to convey those things throughout your application. This scholarship, in its entirety, is run and funded by the Forman Acton Foundation. All decisions, processes and selections are vetted and decided strictly by the Foundation. Although the Forman Acton Foundation and the Salem City School District are collaborative partners in the goal of educating Salem’s youth, SCSD is not affiliated with the annual selection of Forman Scholars.

2024 Application for Juniors

The 2024 application is now available and can be completed HERE.

The deadline for submission is November 22, 2024, by 11:59 pm EST. Successful applicants will become members of the 2026-27 freshman cohort of Forman Scholars and be eligible for $50,000 ($12,500 per year) at their chosen college or university.

We recommend students review these tips to ensure their applications are the best they can be.

Important Information To Keep In Mind

• We are looking for students with well-rounded experiences, leadership qualities, commitment to community service, and who demonstrate a financial need.

• Please be intentional about the written portion of your application; this is how we, as a committee, get to know you better. Be sure to answer the question on the application.

• You will need two recommendation letters, with at least one from a teacher. Guidance counselors are not permitted by the Foundation to submit recommendations. It's best to use a referral who knows you, your character, and your work ethic and can adequately express their view of you through a recommendation.

• The 2026-27 FAFSA is a required form to be selected as a Scholar. This year, the Department of Education announced the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) will not be available until December 2025. Once the application is open, you will have 2 weeks to complete your FAFSA and send it to the Foundation to add to your application.

Selection Criteria & Eligibility Requirements

At the time of their application, students must:

• Be in their junior year of high school.

• Be residents of Salem City or attend school in Salem City.

• Be enrolled in the Foundation’s Acorn Fund before submitting their scholarship application.

• Demonstrate above-average academic promise, as evidenced by a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher.

  • Note: You do not have to be enrolled in an honors program to apply.

• Complete the Federal Student Aid Estimator.

• Possess well-rounded experiences, leadership qualities and a commitment to community service.

• Intend to enroll in a college or university in September 2026.

Maintaining Eligibility

To retain their scholarship to their senior year of high school, students must:

• Complete a 2026-27 FAFSA.

• Be residents of Salem City or attend school in Salem City.

• Meet with the Foundation’s Scholarship Director bi-monthly to discuss and provide updates on the college selection and acceptance process.

• Demonstrate above-average academic promise, as evidenced by a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher.

• Submit their final transcript along with a continuing application by June 30, 2026.

• Confirm their intention to enroll in a college or university in September 2026.

• Participate in a minimum of 3 Forman Acton events or initiatives.

Selection Process

Our Scholarship Committee, which is comprised of educators, graduates of Salem High School and members of the Foundation’s staff, is diligent and intentional in evaluating each student as a full package. There is no specific calculation that will have an individual as an ideal candidate; each candidate is evaluated on grades, financial need, who you are as an individual, and your ability to convey those things throughout your application. This scholarship, in its entirety, is run and funded by the Forman Acton Foundation. All decisions, processes and selections are vetted and decided strictly by the Foundation. Although the Forman Acton Foundation and the Salem City School District are collaborative partners in the goal of educating Salem’s youth, SCSD is not affiliated with the annual selection of Forman Scholars.

Other Scholarship Resources

We want to empower Salem’s students in whatever way possible, and that goes beyond the scholarships our foundation offers. Here are some other scholarship resources and organizations that can help Salem students afford an education. All are offered at no cost.

College Greenlight is an online organization that offers an extensive scholarship search engine. You can create an account and profile to make use of the engine. Begin your search on their scholarship page.

Give Something Back provides mentors and scholarships to help Pell Grant eligible students go to college and graduate in four years. Scholarships are given to students in 9th grade who have: a 3.0 GPA or 85 B average, are eligible for a full federal Pell Grant for college and have a positive presence at school and in the community. Priority is given to students in foster care, children that have been impacted by the incarceration of a parent or youth that have experienced homelessness. Watch this video to get started!

RaiseMe is specifically designed to give high school students opportunities to earn micro-scholarships for completing courses while in high school and for participating in any number of school activities. Beginning in grade 9, students enter information about the academic and co-curricular achievements and micro-scholarships are awarded from an ever growing list of participating colleges. By senior year, students will have amassed a considerable amount of money which can then be turned into actual scholarship dollars if officially accepted by the college after going through the normal application process. To learn more about this opportunity, visit RaiseMe.

Saving for College is a great resource for anyone looking to find college scholarships, but especially those who want to start even earlier. This site has a selection of scholarships for younger students, even those as young as kindergarten! Click here to start searching.

Scholarships.com is another excellent search engine that provides a wealth of resources about scholarship possibilities as well as detailed information on over 4,000 colleges and universities. After using a simple process to create an account, you are allowed to use this free service to find out more information about scholarship opportunities. Click here to get started.

Another wonderful resource we have just discovered is a program called COLLEGEPOINT. This program offers eligible students an opportunity to be paired with an e-advisor who you meet with virtually during your senior year to discuss all aspects of the college application and acceptance process. 

Visit their website to learn more about this exciting opportunity.

The Gates Scholarship is a highly selective, full scholarship for high school seniors who show exceptional achievement, are Pell-Eligible and are from selected minorities. The scholarship is awarded to 300 top student leaders each year with the intent of promoting their academic excellence through college graduation and providing them the opportunity to reach their full potential. This year's deadline for high school seniors to apply is September 15, 2020. Learn more by visiting their website.

The Scholarship America Dream Award is a renewable scholarship fund for students in their sophomore year in college and beyond - with growing, renewable awards that help ensure talented students can afford to complete the degree programs they've started. Click here to learn more about this opportunity.

The Recovery Village Health Care Scholarship is an award to students pursuing a health-related degree program who have personally been affected by addiction in their family. Visit their website to learn more about this opportunity.

As the population of older adults continues to grow and life spans lengthen, more and more young people are taking on the role of caregiver for older loved ones. On top of their demanding caregiving duties, many of these young people are simultaneously pursuing college or graduate-level education.  Scholarships for student-caregivers help ease the financial burden faced by these hard working students. Please click here for more information about these opportunities.

Please contact Kimberly Smith, Director of Scholarships at kim@formanscholars.org if you have questions about the above opportunities.