The Forman Scholars program is one of our cornerstone initiatives. Since 2014, exemplary students from the Salem City School District have been awarded $50,000 scholarships to be applied to their undergraduate college education. Forman Scholars are not only provided with a financial award to put toward their college expenses, but they 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.

2023 Application Cycle

• October 30, 2023: Online application becomes available and can be completed HERE.

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

• November 20, 2023: Online application closes. Students must have all materials (including their application, financial information, personal statement, written responses, letters of recommendation, resume and transcript) submitted by this date. 

• December 2023 – February 2024: The Foundation’s Scholarship Committee reviews applications, selects a pool of semifinalists for further consideration and conducts interviews with those semifinalists. At this time, students may be asked to submit supplementary materials, and qualifying information will be verified. 

• February 29, 2024: Scholarship recipients are announced.

Selection Criteria & Eligibility Requirements

In order to qualify for acceptance as a Forman Scholar, students must meet certain educational, financial and demographic requirements aligned with the policies of the program and our Certificate of Incorporation. 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.

• 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 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®).

• Provide an Expected Family Contribution (EFC) verification, obtained by completing the FAFSA®.

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

• Begin their higher education studies in the fall semester following their graduation from high school.

As stated in its Certificate of Incorporation, the Foundation seeks to support “in particular, those children who exhibit above average academic promise who are poor, distressed or underprivileged and of minority heritage.”

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. This scholarship, in its entirety, is administered 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.