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If you're looking into scholarship programs to help pay for your college education, the famous Coca-Cola scholarships are a good place to start. Why are they famous? Well, the Coca-Cola foundation offers some of the most generous awards out there to graduating high school seniors. They tend to be very competitive, so if you want a shot at the scholarship, you should learn as much about them as you possibly can.

In this post, I'll talk about some of the logistical concerns you might have about the scholarship— things like deadlines and eligibility requirements. But more importantly, I'll also offer helpful tips and strategies to give your application the boost it needs. Read on to optimize your chances of winning one of these competitive scholarships!

What Is the Coca-Cola Scholarship?

There are a few different types of Coca-Cola scholarships, but the one you'll likely be most interested in is called the Coca-Cola Scholars Scholarship . This scholarship is a merit-based award given to graduating high school seniors who are enrolling in college.

Each year since 1989, 150 high school seniors per year have received $20,000 through this award program. If you've looked into other scholarship programs, you might recognize that the Coca-Cola Scholars award amount is pretty generous. $20,000 can cover a significant portion of your cost of attendance!

As you might expect, the scholarship is pretty competitive: the top five colleges that scholarship recipients attend are Harvard, Stanford, Duke, Yale, and Princeton . Applicants are evaluated on leadership, academics, and service. Many scholarship recipients also demonstrate a passion for social justice.

How Do You Know If You're Eligible?

In order to qualify for the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation Scholarship, you must meet all of the following requirements :

• Be a current high school senior attending school in the US
• Be a US citizen, national, permanent resident, refugee, asylee, Cuban-Haitian entrant, or humanitarian parolee
• Anticipate receiving your high school diploma during the current academic year
• Plan on attending an accredited US post-secondary institution (two- or four-year college)
• Able to show proof of a minimum overall B/3.0 GPA in high school courses
• Cannot be a child/grandchild of any employee, officer, or owner of Coca-Cola bottling companies, the Coca-Cola company, Company divisions or subsidiaries

If you meet all of the above criteria, you're on the right track to submitting a successful Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation Scholarship application.

What Information Do You Need to Apply?

The next step to submitting a successful application would be to gather all necessary materials and information ahead of time. You'll need all of the following to complete an application :

• Your high school transcript and academic record —You'll need this to report courses and grades starting with your freshman year.
• Contact information —You will need to provide the names, emails, and phone numbers of your guidance counselor and principal.
• School activities: student council, class officer, academic/honor societies, school newspaper or literary magazine, school yearbook
• Performing arts: drama, theater, dance
• Speech, debate, or forensics
• Music: band, orchestra, vocal
• Visual arts
• Other: any school-related clubs, organizations, or intramurals
• List of honors and awards —You'll have to list any accolades you've received while participating in any clubs or organizations, and the level of each award (local, state, regional, or national) since your freshman year.
• List of volunteer activities —You'll be asked about all of your unpaid community service activities for each grade in high school. Be prepared to provide the number of hours you spent in each activity in addition to any honors or awards you received for your participation.
• List of paid work experiences —If you have an updated resume, you're already set! Be prepared to provide the number of weeks employed, average number of hours worked per week during the school year, and average number of hours worked during the summer for each job.

Because this isn't a need-based scholarship, y ou won't have to worry about submitting any financial information . You also don't need to worry about reporting any standardized test scores!

How Do You Submit a Coca-Cola Scholarship Application?

You have nothing to lose by submitting an application. Even if you're worried you won't receive an award because the scholarship is so competitive, think about how a few hours of your time could lead to a $20,000 scholarship. It's a no-brainer!

The application window typically opens in early August and closes in late October. This year's application period is from August 1, 2022, to October 31, 2022.

Click through to find the appropriate link to the scholarship here . You can also check out a full sample application before submitting your own app.

You'll have a lot more fun this upcoming Halloween if you submit your application in advance of the deadline.

When Do You Find Out Whether You've Been Selected?

There are several stages to the scholarship recipient selection process. First, about 2,000 semi-finalists will be selected by mid-November. If you make it to this stage, you'll be asked to submit additional scholarship materials by late December. These materials will include essays, a recommendation, and a current high school transcript.

A program committee then reviews semi-finalist applications in January to narrow it down to 250 regional finalists by the end of the month. Regional finalist interviews (over the phone or via Skype) take place in February.

The scholarship winners are finally selected and notified after regional interviews . Scholarship recipients are invited to participate in a Scholars Weekend in Atlanta at the end of March or early April.

How Can You Use the Scholarship Funds?

If you win a Coca-Cola Scholars Scholarship, you can use it for any school-related expenses, including tuition, on-campus housing, books, fees, or even a computer .

The scholarship is pretty flexible. You have between four and 10 years to use the full award amount and can choose to defer the award anytime within that 10-year time frame (like if you want to take a gap year or study abroad).

Strategies: How to Increase Your Chances of Winning a Coca-Cola Scholars Scholarship

According to the Coca-Cola Scholars program , scholarship recipients are strong leaders who are committed to "making a significant impact on their schools and communities."

The most successful applications will embody the values that the Coca-Cola Scholars program prioritizes: leadership, service, and community commitment. Ultimately, scholarship awards are investments not only in a particular student but also in that student's community.

Scholarships will have the greatest impact when they're awarded to students who are invested in "paying it forward," or giving back to others . Corporate scholarships assume that the most successful students and professionals will demonstrate very strong leadership skills and academic potential.

The following strategies will help you highlight the qualities that make you most attractive to the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation.

If You're a Younger High School Student ...

Demonstrate academic excellence.

You probably noticed earlier in this post that Coca-Cola scholarship winners tend to be going to some pretty great schools. Corporate scholarship programs like this one want to invest in students who show the most promise and potential.

One way you can demonstrate your own potential is to earn exceptional grades — this will obviously serve you well when it comes to applying to colleges and other scholarship programs.

In addition, take AP or advanced classes if they're offered . You'll be a more impressive applicant if your academic record shows a more rigorous course load. Unfortunately, the more challenging the courses, the more difficulty you may have in school. While this is okay (your grades don't have to be perfect!), make sure to seek out extra help in weaker subject areas . Meet with your teachers or tutors to stay on top of your game.

Develop Leadership Skills

Leadership roles will help you stand out, in a good way.

As with academic performance, leadership skills development indicates that you're likely to be successful as a student and as a professional. If you actively seek out leadership roles, this will demonstrate to the Coca-Cola Scholarship Program that you're proactive and take initiative.

Commit to clubs, groups, or activities early on that align well with your interests and passions . It's generally better to be heavily invested in a few activities. If you make too many commitments, the caliber of your participation (and the opportunities for future leadership roles) will suffer. Focus on quality over quantity .

Here's an example of what I mean: as a kid, I attended one particular camp every summer. It was something I really enjoyed, and it was great to go back year after year. When I aged out of the camp, I was given the opportunity to participate in the program as a camp counselor— I got to continue doing something I loved because I had shown that I was committed to it long-term, and I was "promoted" to a new and exciting leadership position . I likely wouldn't have gotten the position of camp counselor so easily if I hadn't already spent years at the camp.

You can also demonstrate leadership and initiative in more creative ways. For example:

• Spend more time in your community service activities than is required of you. The scholarship evaluators will know if you need to volunteer a minimum number of hours to graduate, and they won't be impressed if you barely meet that minimum. Going above and beyond any required minimums demonstrates true initiative and a strong commitment to your community (qualities that will make you really stand out as an applicant).
• Actively seek out awards and honors, especially for your community service activities. You'll have to provide a list of accolades and honors for your scholarship application—if you're already dedicated to service, it's worth your time to seek out opportunities for acknowledgment. Check with your school guidance counselor or do a Google search for awards in your area.

If You're Ready to Apply for the Coca-Cola Scholars Scholarship ...

Keep coca-cola scholars values in mind as you fill out your application.

Remember that successful applicants are students who not only excel academically but are also involved in their school communities. Through participation in classes and extracurriculars, scholarship winners show that they are passionate and service-oriented .

Embrace the Lack of First-Round Essays

Unlike many scholarship applications, the Coca Cola Scholars application doesn’t require any essays in the first-round of the application process. Any application for which you don't have to write an essay must be an easy application, right? In reality, the Coca-Cola Scholarship application is trickier than most because it doesn't give you a chance to explain either your academic performance or your participation in extracurriculars.

Essentially, you can't talk about your passions, well-roundedness, intelligence, or commitment to service to make yourself stand out from the thousands of other first-round applicants. The only thing you can do is show—through your grades and your participation in various activities— how you embody the qualities that the Coca-Cola Scholarship values in its award recipients .

You'll notice on the sample application that questions about leadership roles come before any questions about your grades; clearly, they're a very important part of the application. Unfortunately, there's not much you can do to talk up your community commitments or leadership experiences if you don't have a well-developed resume; the application is pretty cut and dry.

Of course, if you make it to the second round of the application process, you’ll get to explain why you’re a great fit for a Coca Cola scholarship in some required essays. To stand out in the essay-free first round, though, make sure that your resume is comprehensive. Make a list of every single activity, event, club, and organization you've ever been a part of and consider whether you could count it as some sort of leadership or community service experience.

Scour your brain—don't leave anything out! Remember that camp I was discussing earlier? I didn't think to consider it as volunteer work or community service—I had done it for years and considered it a privilege to work as a counselor. Luckily, someone less naive than me hinted that I should include it on my resume under "Volunteer Experience."

Submit a Polished Finished Product

Have someone you trust—a teacher or guidance counselor, for example—look over your application before you submit it to make sure it's as polished as possible. Your reader might have suggestions on additional things you should include (or leave out).

What's Next?

On a mission to find other opportunities scholarship funding? You're in the right place! Check out our strategy guides to getting the Tylenol , Gates Millennium , Walmart, and McDonald's scholarships.

There are tons of scholarships out there! If you need help looking for more, take a look at our expert guide to finding scholarships for college. 

Want to improve your application strength for this scholarship and for college? You can raise your GPA , take a rigorous course load , and improve your SAT/ACT score .

Francesca graduated magna cum laude from Harvard and scored in the 99th percentile on the SATs. She's worked with many students on SAT prep and college counseling, and loves helping students capitalize on their strengths.

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Coca-Cola Scholarship: How To Apply and What You Need to Know

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The Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation is a subsidiary of the famous Coca-Cola Company. Its focus is, in its own words, “bring[ing] better to the world through investment in exceptional high school students who are dedicated to leadership, service, and action that positively affects others”. Through its scholarship programs and Leadership Summits, the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation has helped high school seniors achieve their academic and intellectual potential for over 25 years.

The Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation supports more than 1,400 college students each year through its 3 nationally recognized programs. One of these programs is the Coca-Cola Scholars Program Scholarship. 150 high school seniors are selected each year to receive this $20,000 scholarship.

Unfortunately, the application period for 2019 high school graduates has closed, but it’s not too late for those graduating in 2020 or later. Read on to learn what you need to know to have a fighting chance of becoming a Coca-Cola Scholar, with all the perks and privileges that come with it.

Eligibility Requirements

The Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation very clearly outlines what types of students are eligible for the Coca-Cola Scholarship, and they will ask you to show proof that you meet all of their eligibility requirements when you fill out the application.

In order to qualify for the Coca-Cola Scholarship, you must be a graduating high school senior in good standing. You must also be a US citizen, US National, US Permanent Resident, Refugee, Asylee, Cuban-Haitian Entrant, or Humanitarian Parolee. You must also be planning to pursue a degree at a postsecondary institution within a year of completing your graduation. You must also have earned a minimum 3.0 weighted GPA at your high school.

You are not eligible for the Coca-Cola Scholarship if you are child or grandchild of any Coca-Cola employee, an international student, a high school graduate, or a temporary resident of the United States.

What is the Application Process Like/What Info Do I Need?

In order to apply for the Coca-Cola Scholarship, you will need to submit a Google Form application via their online portal. However, if you want to see a sample application, you can view it here.

There are no essays, transcripts, or other supplementary documents needed to apply for this scholarship. However, we recommend securing a copy of your transcript before filling out this application in order to ensure that you are providing the most accurate and up-to-date information about yourself.

In addition, here are some other things you will need to gather before you start filling out this application:

• The High School Code for your school from CollegeBoard
• Your parents approximate combined income before taxes last year (optional)
• Information about all of your school-sponsored extracurriculars (e.g. how long you were in each club, what your official leadership titles were, how long you’ve been in these roles, etc)
• Information on any and all awards and honors you have received throughout your time in high school
• Information on any community service hours you have completed throughout high school
• The number of AP, IB, and Honors classes offered at your school
• Your grades throughout high school
• Your current class rank and class size
• Information on any and all work experiences you’ve had in high school (what was the job, how many hours did you work per week, etc)

Important Deadlines To Know

Every academic year, the application for the Coca-Colar scholarship opens in August and is due on October 31st. You may apply during the fall of your senior year.

When you’re figuring out when to start this application, you should keep in mind that it may take a few weeks to secure important documents like your official transcript and your parents’ tax information. Thus, it’s best to start sooner rather than later. You don’t want to be caught in a pinch at the last minute!

For More Information

Want to learn more about scholarships you could earn in high school? Check out these previous blog posts:

How Your SAT Scores Can Help You Earn Scholarships

15 College Scholarship Resources For High School Students

10 Weird College Scholarships You Should Consider

What You Need To Know For a Successful Scholarship Season

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The Admissions Strategist

Coca-cola scholarship: how to win it.

When it comes to college scholarships , the Coca-Cola Scholarship is one of the most generous. Recipients win $20,000 toward their college education! Not surprisingly, this also makes the Coca-Coca Scholarship one of the most competitive scholarship programs out there.

In this guide, we’ll tell you everything you need to know about the Coca-Cola Scholarship, plus tips to increase your chances of winning one for yourself.

Click above to watch a video on Coca Cola Scholarship.

About the Coca-Cola Scholarship

The Coca-Cola Scholars Program scholarship is a merit-based scholarship for graduating high school seniors. It is one of three scholarships funded by the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation, which was launched in 1986 to celebrate Coca-Cola’s centennial. Each year, 150 students are selected to receive the $20,000 scholarship.

According to the program’s website , winners are recognized for “their capacity to lead and serve.” Winners are also committed to “making a significant impact” in their communities and schools. In total, 6,300 Coca-Cola Scholars have won more than $72 million to support their educations.

Am I Qualified for the Coca-Cola Scholarship?

To qualify for the Coca-Cola Scholarship, you must meet the following eligibility requirements:

• Be a current high school senior (or home-schooled student) attending school in the United States
• Be a U.S. citizen, U.S. national, U.S. permanent resident, refugee, asylee, Cuban-Haitian entrant, or humanitarian parolee
• Plan to pursue a college degree at an accredited U.S. post-secondary institution (most two or four-year colleges in the United States)
• Have a minimum 3.0 unweighted GPA

In addition, you may not be:

• The child or grandchild of a current Coca-Cola employee or a former employee receiving retirement benefits
• An international student
• A high school graduate
• A temporary resident of the U.S.

If you fit these requirements, you’re eligible to submit an application for consideration.

How Do I Submit a Coca-Coca Scholarship?

Typically, the Coca-Cola Scholarship application window opens at the beginning of August and closes at the end of October. During the application window, you must submit a complete application through the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation application portal. Applications are not accepted via mail, fax, or email.

The good news is that the Coca-Cola Scholarship does not require an essay or other supplementary materials. However, the application does ask for a lot of information. And you must be sure to fill it out completely—otherwise, you won’t be considered for the scholarship.

Around mid-November, 2,000 applicants are selected as semifinalists. Semifinalists are typically asked to submit additional materials for consideration. A committee reviews the applications and selects 250 regional finalists by the end of January.

In February, regional finalists are interviewed via phone or Skype. After interviews, the 150 scholarship winners are finally selected and announced.

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What do i need to submit for a coca-cola scholarship.

Here’s the information you’ll be asked to provide on the Coca-Cola Scholarship application:

• Contact Information – Including the names, phone numbers, and emails of your school principal and guidance counselor.
• Academic Record/Transcript- You won’t send your transcript in with the application, but you’ll need it so you can self-report your classes and grades beginning from freshman year. You also need to know your class size, class rank, and the number of AP/IB classes offered at your school.
• Clubs and Organizations- The application asks you to list both school and non-school related activities you’ve taken part in since freshman year. You also need to mention any leadership roles you held in these activities. Specifically, the activities mentioned on the application include student council, class officer, academic/honor societies, school newspaper or literary magazine, school yearbook, drama, theater, dance, speech, debate, forensics, band, orchestra, vocal, visual arts, athletics, and any other school-related clubs, organizations, or intramurals.
• Honors and Awards- List awards and accolades you’ve received since freshman year, including whether these awards were local, regional, state, or national.
• Volunteer Activities- List unpaid community service activities since freshman year. You’ll need to include the number of hours you participated in each activity, plus any awards or honors you received through volunteering.
• Work Experience- If you have paid work experience, you’ll include information about how long you were employed and how many hours you worked weekly in your application.

As mentioned previously, the application does not require an essay or supplementary materials, such as letters of recommendation. It also doesn’t ask for your standardized test scores or any financial information (because it is not a need-based scholarship). However, as you can see, the application requires some pretty in-depth information about your high school career.

It’s easier to fill out the application if you gather materials ahead of time, like your transcript, information on extracurricular activities and volunteer work, a list of your honors and awards, etc. You should also ask your guidance counselor for data like your class size/rank and the number of AP/IB classes at your school if you’re not sure.

Tips for Winning a Coca-Cola Scholarship

With $20,000 on the line, it makes sense that the Coca-Cola Scholarship is highly competitive and prestigious. In fact, the top five colleges attended by Coca-Cola Scholarship recipients are Harvard, Stanford, Duke, Yale, and Princeton. Many winners are entrepreneurs, inventors, founders of nonprofit organizations, and leaders of impactful research. You can read bios of the most recent Coca-Cola Scholars here .

But that doesn’t mean you should feel intimidated or rule yourself out. It takes only a few hours to complete the application, and it could lead to $20,000 toward your education. You never know what might happen, especially if you’re strategic and thorough in filling out your application.

The following tips will help you put your best foot forward and maximize your chances of winning a Coca-Cola Scholarship. The first few tips apply to younger high school students who have time remaining to build their resumes. At the end, we have some tips for seniors who are ready to apply now, including how to present yourself in the best possible light.

YOUNGER HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

Demonstrate academic achievement.

For just about any merit-based scholarship, academic achievement is key. In particular, corporate scholarships like Coca-Cola’s program want to invest in students who have clearly demonstrated their potential for success.

Take the most challenging classes available at your school, and get the highest grades possible. Aim for a stellar GPA and a seat near the top of your graduating class. If you find yourself struggling, be proactive. Ask for help from a teacher, peer, or professional tutor. Invest time in taking notes, reviewing those notes, and studying regularly (not just cramming). Complete your class assignments and homework on time, and be receptive to feedback from your teachers.

Excelling academically is challenging and time-consuming . It’s not always fun. But when you think about opportunities like the Coca-Cola Scholarship, you realize all the hard work is a worthwhile investment in yourself and your future.

Get Involved

When you’re first starting high school, it might seem scary to throw yourself into new activities and organizations. But it’s important to get involved from the beginning. Look into the clubs and extracurricular activities available at your school, and make a list of the ones that sound interesting to you.

Talk to other students or attend a few introductory meetings, then narrow your list down to 3-4 activities that line up with your passions and interests. It’s best to stick with your favorite activities throughout high school, growing within the organization and ideally taking on a leadership role. Plus, you’ll show commitment and passion, which appeals to scholarship committees and admissions officers alike.

Most Coca-Cola Scholarship recipients are presidents of clubs, captains of sports teams, and/or leaders in student government. If you want to establish yourself as a motivated and passionate leader, it helps to get involved early on, building trust and connections throughout your school.

Serve Your School and Community

Another common trait in most Coca-Cola Scholarship recipients is impactful service. Many are also involved in social justice initiatives within their schools and communities, like advocating against human trafficking, working with underrepresented youth, bridging the gender gap in STEM, or raising awareness about teen mental health.

You can start by volunteering in your school and community, including with the organizations and clubs you’re involved in. Ideally, you’ll find a cause you’re passionate about or a need you’d love to help meet. Whether it’s teaching senior citizens about computers, providing free tutoring to underprivileged students, or giving presentations about climate change, it’s especially impressive (and personally fulfilling) if you can start a project, event, or even a nonprofit organization of your own.

Think about the needs of students at your school or people in your community that aren’t being met. What can you do to help? Again, reading through bios of the latest Coca-Cola Scholarship recipients can give you a wealth of inspiration and ideas. But you’re at your best when you’re following your heart and pursuing your passions, so find something that’s meaningful to you.

Show Leadership

We mentioned leadership already, but it’s important to remember that leadership comes in many forms. It might mean being a club president or a sports team captain, or it could mean making your own invention, business, community program, or school fundraiser. You can also lead by training people at a job, welcoming new students to your school, or organizing events.

The idea of leadership isn’t comfortable for everyone, so find a way to lead that works for you. If you want to stand out and compete for major scholarships like this one, it’s important to get some sort of leadership experience on your resume.

Earn Accolades and Awards

If you do everything mentioned above, you’re almost guaranteed to win some awards and accolades for your efforts. Still, you should always be on the lookout for opportunities. And some honors require you to submit yourself for consideration, so don’t assume you’ll just automatically be recognized and rewarded.

Often, teachers or counselors will share award opportunities. If you hear something that’s a good fit for you, always take the time to apply. If you’re into research, submit your work for publication. Or make sure you put together a solid entry for your school’s Science Fair, which could get you all the way to the state competition. Enter essay contests if writing is your thing, or find talent shows where your musical abilities will shine. Whatever you’re good at, aim for recognition that you can include on your resume.

SENIORS READY TO APPLY FOR THE COCA-COLA SCHOLARSHIP

Keep program values in mind.

Reading through the information for younger high school students above should give you some idea of the values and qualities most important to the Coca-Cola Scholarship committee. Successful applicants shine academically, show leadership, and make a real impact on their schools and communities. They are service-oriented, motivated, and passionate.

As you fill out the scholarship application, keep these values in mind. These are the areas you really want to highlight and bring to the forefront. Think about how your extracurricular experience, awards and honors, and volunteer work can help you demonstrate these values to the people reviewing your application. If you aren’t sure, ask family members, friends, and teachers who know you well for input.

Be Thorough

Make sure to closely read through every part of the application. Enter your information thoroughly and correctly. If you miss any part of the application, you won’t be considered for the scholarship.

Similarly, make sure you list everything that could help make your application look good. If it happened during high school and shows your academic ability, leadership skills, dedication to the community, or overall motivation and potential, then you don’t want to leave it out. Now is not the time to be humble!

Edit Carefully

Any application you submit should be error-free, especially for an extremely competitive scholarship like this one. Review your application very carefully before submitting. If you aren’t sure about your spelling or comma placement, do some online research to double-check your work.

Sometimes, it’s helpful to save the application for a day or two after you complete it. Then, look at it with a fresh pair of eyes before submitting. You might catch something you missed the first time around. Another tip is to read your application backwards. It sounds strange, but it gives you a new perspective that can help you spot errors.

Ask for a Second Opinion

It’s also helpful to ask for a second opinion from a teacher or trusted adult. Ask another person (or 2-3 other people) to review your application for grammar and clarity. You can also ask for input on the information you’ve included and if there’s anything you’ve left out.

Of course, it’s your application at the end of the day, so don’t make changes you aren’t comfortable with. A second opinion is just that—an opinion.

Submit On Time!

Finally, make sure to submit your application on time. If you miss the deadline, you miss the opportunity. It’s best to submit early, so you don’t feel too much pressure and have plenty of time to review and edit as needed.

So, mark the Coca-Cola Scholarship deadline in your calendar as soon as the scholarship window opens. Give yourself plenty of time to gather materials, write the application, edit it, and ask for at least one other person to review it too.

Final Thoughts: How to Win a Coca-Cola Scholarship

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How to Win the Coca-Cola Scholarship

What is the coca-cola scholarship.

The Coca-Cola scholarship is a $20,000 scholarship awarded to 150 exceptional high school seniors that provides them with a unique and exclusive alumni network. It is one of the more prestigious scholarships for high school students and has a rigorous admission process. In their own words, the scholarship is for students “who demonstrate academic achievement and leadership.” The top five colleges Coke scholars attend are Harvard, Stanford, Duke, Yale, and Princeton.

In 2023 the Coca-Cola scholarship had around 91,000 applicants. Each year, the applicants are whittled down to 2,000 semifinalists. After a secondary application process, these semifinalists are reduced even further to 250 regional finalists. Finally, after an interview process, 150 Coke scholars are chosen in March. To get an idea of just how competitive the scholarship is, in the 2023 cycle, less than 1/6 of 1% of applicants were chosen. As a 2020 Coke Scholar, I can offer some tips on how to maximize your chances of winning this prestigious, but competitive award.

Eligibility requirements:

• Be a current high school senior attending school in the US
• Be a US citizen, national, or permanent resident
• Anticipate receiving your high school diploma
• Plan on attending an accredited US post-secondary institution (two- or four-year college)
• Cannot be a child/grandchild of any employee, officer, or owner of Coca-Cola bottling companies, the Coca-Cola company, Company divisions, or subsidiaries

Fill out your application as thoroughly as you can

For the scholarship application, you have the opportunity to provide the scholarship committee with a list of clubs and organizations you are involved in, a list of honors and awards you have received, a list of volunteer activities, and a list of paid work experiences/internships. The application allows an ample amount of activities to be listed for each section (around 10 or 11), so you should try to include every activity you have participated in or award you have received, no matter how small.

Make sure to list your most meaningful and important activities/awards first for each section to ensure that your application readers understand which activities you prioritize the most. For example, if you have been the captain of the tennis team for four years and dedicated many hours to the sport, you should definitely list tennis as one of the first activities on your list.

Emphasize activities where you have demonstrated initiative and leadership

One of the most important qualities the Coca-Cola scholarship committee values is leadership. Successful applicants for the scholarship should be able to demonstrate initiative and leadership through their activities, honors, community service, and work experience. The activities you include on your application should illustrate your interests and ability to be a leader. For example, if you only participated at your local soup kitchen because you just wanted to fulfill the community service requirements, this would not be an activity you want to include.

On the other hand, if you established a fundraiser or volunteer group at your school that provides food and necessary supplies to needy and homeless people in your community, you should definitely include this activity. The difference between these two examples illustrates what characteristics the Coca-Cola scholarship committee values the most. The former example portrays a desire to help others in one’s community, while the latter example shows someone who is passionate about community service and creates a system that can help others in their community with greater impact.

For semifinalists: highlight your most meaningful interests and personal characteristics

Were you selected as a Coca-Cola semifinalist? First of all, congrats! Second, if you are selected as a semifinalist, you will be required to provide additional details about your leadership, service, involvement, and work including statements of impact, essays, and an online submission of one reference from someone who can best assess your character and your impact on your community.

The second part of the application process is designed to get to know you better, rather than simply looking at a list of activities or awards. As a result, your statements of impact for your activities should highlight your most substantive experiences. Your essays should emphasize your greatest interests and personal characteristics. In fact, one of the essay prompts even asks you what activity you would participate in if you could only participate in one activity. You want to use your essays to speak about experiences in your life that have shaped your interests and personal goals. Unique and honest personal essays will help distinguish you from other candidates.

Additionally, make sure that you request a recommendation from someone who can attest to your personal qualities and dedication to your community, not just your work ethic or academic abilities. For example, my recommender was my guidance counselor because she could provide a more holistic overview of myself as well as provide details of my extracurricular activities, personal traits, and academic abilities.

For regional finalists: practice, practice, practice!

Were you selected as a Coca-Cola regional finalist? Congratulations! You have demonstrated yourself to be an exceptional candidate among a large pool of applicants.  If you are selected as a regional finalist, you will be subjected to a short 20-minute interview with three or four people. Some interviewers will be Coke scholar alumni and some may be employees of the Coca-Cola Scholarship Foundation.

You will have the opportunity to have the interview in-person or online. If you need to have an online interview, know that this will not affect your application! (I had an online interview, and my application was successful). During the interview, keep in mind that you may not have the opportunity to ask questions as they will probably cut you off at the 20-minute mark.

To prepare for the interview, make sure to review your application and familiarize yourself with your essay answers and lists of activities and awards. Also, it is very important that you practice answering sample interview questions with family or friends in order to feel more comfortable during the real interview.

This interview will not be like a normal college alumni interview, as all of your interviewers will have read your application thoroughly and will ask pointed questions about specific parts of your application. Therefore, practicing will make you more prepared to answer questions and will allow you to feel more relaxed. Finally, remember that the application process, especially the interview, can be subjective and unpredictable, so you should pat yourself on the back for making it this far. Good luck!

This informational essay was written by Rohan Krishnan, Yale University Class of ‘24. If you want to get help writing your application essays from Rohan or other CollegeAdvisor.com Admissions advisors, click here.

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Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation: 2023-24 Guide to Essays and Short Responses

If you’re applying to the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation , you will need to pen three essays of 300 words each and three short responses of 50 words each. Read on to discover the prompts and our insider advice for writing responses that will differentiate you from similarly qualified applicants!

The following three questions are short responses to be answered in 50 words or fewer., what topic or issue would you want to learn more about or work on during a gap year between high school graduation and the start of college (50 words), coke scholars will be granted an extra hour in each day. what will you do with yours (50 words), you are teaching a college course – what is it called (50 words).

All three of these short-answer prompts lead to the same question: what inspires you? Which ideas, topics, activities, and values do you hold dear? The Foundation is giving you a chance to talk about not just your academic interests, but also your hobbies, passions, and motivations. Spend some time brainstorming about all the things you like or that pique your interest and jot them all down. Then, look for connections. Think about a gap year completely free of obligations. What projects would you pursue? What global, international, or personal issues would you explore? Maybe your grandparents immigrated from Peru, and you’d spend your year living and working on a farm there, exploring your interest in sustainable agriculture. Perhaps you’ve always wished you had time to learn the clarinet and would spend your extra hour each day practicing so you could play the Super Mario Bros. theme song. Maybe you’re a huge cinephile with an interest in social theory and would teach a course about the way class relations have been depicted in modern cinema. Each answer should be unique enough from the others so the panel gets to know as much as possible about you from one short answer to another. 

The following three questions are to be answered in 300 words or fewer. (Adapting submissions from other applications is allowed.)

Throughout high school, you have likely encountered obstacles, opportunities, or challenges that have helped you learn and grow. think in terms of skills honed, knowledge gained, values clarified, passions discovered, empathy developed, or perspectives explored. describe at least one of these instances, what you learned, and how it has affected your personal and professional goals. (you may write about more than one topic.) (300 words).

This prompt may look familiar, as it’s very similar to Prompt #2 of the Common App and you have, no doubt, seen similar supplemental essay prompts. If you’ve already written about this for college applications, congrats! All you need to do is trim your existing essay down to 300 words. If not, isolate a challenging incident in your life and illustrate how you learned from it. Writing about a difficult time in your life requires both vulnerability and perspective. Instead of focusing on the obstacle you were up against, spend most of the words at your disposal on how you rose to the occasion to overcome the challenge at hand. This is your opportunity to show the Foundation that you are a developing, resilient young adult. As you zero in on a key moment, ask yourself the following questions: What new perspectives, values, or communication skills did you develop? Who, if applicable, did you choose to lean on and why? What did you learn about yourself? How will you approach difficult situations moving forward? How did this event affect your vision of your own personal and professional future? Be honest and open, and we’re sure the Foundation will be impressed.

If you could participate in only one of the activities you have listed on this application, which one would you keep and why? (300 words)

Spotted in the wild: one of the most classic essay types out there, the Activity Essay . The hardest part here is picking what to write about, so look over your list of activities and jot down whatever comes to mind about each one. Why do you enjoy orchestra, coaching pee wee soccer, your food service job, or robotics club? Think about the skills you’re building, the leadership experiences, accolades received, and emotions each one brings up. Once you’ve finished brainstorming, pick the activity that appeals to both your heart and your mind: which one means the most to you and also would give you the most well-rounded experience all on its own? The key to this essay is vulnerability, so make sure you write honestly and authentically about why this activity speaks to you, what you glean from it, and what it contributes to your community.

Choose a community or network to which you belong and describe how you have contributed to shaping or improving it as well as how it has shaped you. (300 words)

This is a classic Community Essay , through and through. The Foundation wants to know what or who has made you into the person you are today and how you have impacted your community. First of all, let us remind you that your “community” can be just about anything, from your neighborhood to your family to your Taylor Swift fan club. What you address can be reflective of larger cultural constructs or a trait specific to your immediate family. Pick a community that means something to you and in which you’ve been very involved. How has this community helped form your identity? How has it influenced your vision of your own future? What have you done to better your community? Maybe you started cooking a weekly pancake breakfast for your younger siblings after your parents got divorced, which sparked your capstone research into food as a bonding agent. Perhaps members of your traveling baseball team lost funding and you organized a car wash to raise money so the whole team could compete in the playoffs. It might be tempting to pen a vivid description of your community and leave it at that, but the point of an essay like this is to tell a story about you and your contributions.

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Tags: Coca-Cola , Coca-Cola Essays , Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation , essay guide , Foundation essays

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Coca-Cola Scholarship - The Ultimate Guide

Who doesn’t want extra scholarship funding for college? With rising tuition costs, unpredictable financial aid awards, and few merit-based scholarships offered at top universities, affording college is increasingly stressful for incoming students. Looking for external scholarships can be difficult, as is figuring out if you’re a strong candidate for the options out there. In this article, we’ll break down one of the most competitive — and most rewarding — merit-based scholarships: the Coca-Cola Scholars program. Offering significant financial awards and long-term connections and mentorship for scholarship recipients, high-achieving high school seniors should consider applying for this prestigious award. Let’s look at the details of the scholarship so that you can decide whether applying is the right choice for you.

What is the Coca-Cola Scholarship?

The Coca-Cola Scholars program is a competitive and highly-regarded scholarship awarded to 150 high school seniors. Unlike many college scholarships, the Coca-Cola Scholarship is exclusively achievement-based and does not take financial need into consideration. As a Coca-Cola Scholar, you will receive a financial award of $20,000, connect with a tight-knit alumni network, and attend ongoing Leadership Summits. Though the word “scholarship” may only make you think about monetary awards, the Coca-Cola Scholarship is unique in offering long-term opportunities and resources for selected Scholars.

Should I Apply to be a Coca-Cola Scholar?

Excited about the opportunity? Wondering if you should apply to become a Scholar? Let’s walk through the criteria used to evaluate candidates.

The Coca-Cola Foundation states that ideal scholarship recipients “exemplify superior leadership, service, and academics” and are “change agents, positively affecting others in their communities.”

While technically a merit scholarship, having strong grades and noteworthy academic achievements is only the first step to being selected. As an applicant, the focus of your accomplishments is crucial to your candidacy — you’ll be expected to have made significant, meaningful contributions to your community and shown a dedication to serving others. If you’d like to apply, it’s essential that you emphasize these qualities. When you’re asked to detail your activities and accomplishments, highlighting your leadership experience and the positive impact you’ve had on others is a top priority.

Who is Eligible to Apply?

The Coca-Cola Scholarship application criteria are fairly minimal. All applicants must be high school seniors — or the homeschooled equivalent — who will be attending college in the United States. As a U.S.-based scholarship, international students or American students studying abroad are ineligible to apply. The scholarship outlines U.S. resident criteria as including: U.S. Citizens, U.S. Nationals, U.S. Permanent Residents, Refugees, Asylees, Cuban-Haitian Entrants, or Humanitarian Parolees. To frame it another way, if you are eligible to apply for FAFSA, you can apply for the Coca-Cola Scholarship. Though the scholarship is highly competitive and based on academic merit, the only academic qualification required is a minimum GPA of 3.0 as an incoming senior.

What’s Included in the Scholarship?

The Coca-Cola Scholarship consists of a range of benefits. 150 selected finalists are each awarded a scholarship of $20,000. The Coca-Cola Foundation gives students a large amount of flexibility over how they use their scholarships. Recipients are able to use their scholarship fund for up to 10 years and can make independent decisions on when and where these resources are best used. There are few restrictions on how you can use the scholarship award, as long as it is an education-related expense. So, if you don’t want to put all of the money towards tuition, you could invest in a new laptop or pay for your dorm room or apartment.

You’ll also stay connected with other Scholars from across the years — every 5 years, you’ll attend a Leadership Summit in Atlanta led by program alumni. There, you’ll learn from other successful scholars how to continue developing your skills in taking the initiative to create positive change in the world.

How Prestigious — and Selective — is the Coca-Cola Scholarship?

Becoming a Coca-Cola Scholar is a major accomplishment, with an acceptance rate that makes those of top colleges seem easy in comparison. In the 2023 application cycle, over 91,000 students applied to join the 150-person Coca-Cola Scholar cohort, equivalent to an acceptance rate of about 0.16%. To know who you’d be competing against, since the Scholars program is exclusively merit-based, only the most accomplished students — both in academics and in service — will be awarded the scholarship.

Who Are Coca-Cola Scholars?

Coca-Cola Scholars are overwhelmingly successful in their college and career pursuits, typically attending elite universities and moving on to impressive professional positions.

Looking at the most recent class of Scholars, who will graduate college in 2028, many will matriculate to Ivy League and other top-ranked schools: Harvard (13), Princeton (3), Yale (3), Brown (3), Columbia, Northwestern, Duke, Dartmouth, and Cornell. You can read the full bios of the most recent scholarship recipients here .

Former Coca-Cola Scholars have gone on to make meaningful change, promoting equity in their communities and the U.S. at large. Let’s take a look at two former Scholars.

After being selected as a Truman Scholar, holding leadership positions at McKinsey & Company, and serving as a public school teacher, Star Wallin (2002 Scholar) founded Bell Creek Consulting. Serving as CEO, Star works to increase educational equity at underfunded schools and improve economic mobility for students of all backgrounds, partnering with schools in cities including Cleveland, Indianapolis, and Philadelphia.

Diana Chao (2015 Scholar) attended Princeton University, where she continued to build upon her organization Letters to Strangers, the largest peer-for-peer mental health advocacy organization worldwide. With work spanning six continents that has impacted over 150,000 individuals, Diana has won an incredible assortment of national and international awards, including the Presidential Volunteer Service Award, the Unilever Young Entrepreneurs Award, Global Teen Leader, and Global Changemaker.

If you’re interested in hearing more Scholars’ profiles, The Coke Scholars Unite Podcast (SIP) regularly hosts former scholarship recipients to speak about their ongoing efforts as changemakers and leaders.

Key Dates & Deadlines

The Coca-Cola Scholars application opens at 10am ET on August 1st. Before formally applying, you’ll first have to submit an eligibility quiz by October 2nd at 4pm ET. However, keep in mind that you should check your eligibility well in advance of this deadline, as the deadline for submitting your full application is October 2nd at 5pm ET. So, unless you are absolutely certain that you meet scholarship criteria, make sure to complete this first step early so that you don’t complete an application you are ineligible to submit.

You can find more information on the application process here .

High school accomplishments of scholarship recipients span areas including politics, STEM research, medical and financial literacy, education, and philanthropy. Students have lobbied and collaborated with politicians, aided immigrants with U.S. Naturalization , fundraised tens of thousands of dollars for nonprofit efforts, conducted and published research affiliated with top universities, and founded education and outreach organizations.

Other scholarships you can consider

Equitable Excellence Scholarship — Awarding students demonstrating courage, strength, and wisdom

The National Society of High School Scholars Scholarship — Supports underrepresented students with strong ethical and innovation skills

U.S. Presidential Scholars Program — Designed to honor and support students pursuing the arts and technical education

Google Build Your Future Scholarships — Offers an array of scholarships for students pursuing studies and careers in technology

One other option – Lumiere Research Scholar Program

If you are interested in doing university-level research, then you could also consider applying to the Lumiere Research Scholar Program , a selective online high school program for students that I founded with researchers at Harvard and Oxford. Last year, we had over 4000 students apply for 500 spots in the program! You can find the application form here.

Also check out the Lumiere Research Inclusion Foundation , a non-profit research program for talented, low-income students

Stephen is one of the founders of Lumiere and a Harvard College graduate. He founded Lumiere as a Ph.D. student at Harvard Business School. Lumiere is a selective research program where students work 1-1 with a research mentor to develop an independent research paper.

Image Source: Coke Scholars Foundation logo

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Coke Florida Makes College Possible for Deserving Students Across the State of Florida

Coca-Cola Beverages Florida and Florida Prepaid College Foundation's commitment in 2023 to fund 250 scholarships over the next 10 years kicks off with its inaugural awards ceremony

Coca-Cola Beverages Florida, LLC (Coke Florida) will award twenty-five recent Florida high school graduates with the first-ever Coke Florida Refreshing Minds Scholarship℠, in partnership with the Florida Prepaid College Foundation, during an awards ceremony planned for June 8 th . The scholarships cover tuition and most fees for students to attend a Florida university, college, or vocational/technical school of their choice.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240606088518/en/

Coca-Cola Beverages Florida, LLC will award twenty-five recent Florida high school graduates with the first-ever Coke Florida Refreshing Minds Scholarship℠, in partnership with the Florida Prepaid College Foundation. (Photo: Business Wire)

The Coke Florida Refreshing Minds Scholarship was launched in August 2023 as part of Coke Florida’s commitment to education. The scholarship program provides prepaid scholarships to students who are often overlooked academically and may not have adequate financial resources to pay for higher education. With matching funds from the Florida Prepaid College Foundation, the Coke Florida Refreshing Minds Scholarship represents a $2.8 million investment and will support 250 scholarships over ten years. This commitment also aligns with the Florida Chamber Foundation’s Path to Prosperity initiative, a statewide effort to address generational poverty in underserved communities.

“Through our investment in the Coke Florida Refreshing Minds Scholarship program, Coke Florida continues its support of educational opportunities in the communities we serve,” said Percy L. Wells, II, group vice president, Government Relations, Public Affairs, and Communications for Coke Florida. “By supporting college education, we aim to jumpstart students’ exposure to career opportunities that lead to long-term self-sufficiency. We are honored to partner with the Florida Prepaid College Foundation to fund college education for this year’s class of 25 Florida students. Congratulations to our inaugural group of ‘Refreshing Minds’ scholars. We wish them well as they embark on the next phase of their educational journey.”

The scholars reside in communities across Coke Florida’s exclusive sales and distribution market, which includes the Miami, Tampa, Orlando, and Jacksonville metropolitan areas. They are active members of their local Big Brothers Big Sisters affiliate or Boys & Girls Club.

Obtaining advanced education and developing their interests and skills without financial burdens are essential to supporting the young adults selected for the inaugural class of Coke Florida Refreshing Minds Scholarship recipients.

“We congratulate these students and their families for their dedication and academic achievements thus far,” said Florida Prepaid College Foundation Director Cynthia O’Connell. “We are proud to partner with Coke Florida and thank them for their generous contribution. Together, we were able to provide something extraordinary to these students, a pathway to college.”

Coke Florida will host a scholarship awards ceremony for the students and their families on Saturday, June 8 th , at Universal Orlando Resort.

For more on the Coke Florida Refreshing Minds Scholarship, visit cokefloridascholarship.com .

About Coca-Cola Beverages Florida, LLC

Coca-Cola Beverages Florida, LLC (Coke Florida) is the sixth largest Coca-Cola bottler in the United States. Coke Florida markets, sells, manufactures, distributes, and merchandises products of The Coca-Cola Company in an exclusive territory that covers over 21 million consumers across 47 Florida counties that includes the Miami, Tampa, Orlando, and Jacksonville metropolitan areas. The company employs over 5,000 associates and has four GreenCircle certified manufacturing facilities and eighteen sales and distribution centers. Founded in 2015 and headquartered in Tampa, Coke Florida is the one of the largest Black-owned businesses in the United States and is Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) certified. In 2024, Coke Florida was recognized as a US Best Managed Company by Deloitte-Private and The Wall Street Journal for the third consecutive year. To learn more, visit cokeflorida.com .

© 2024 Coca-Cola Beverages Florida, LLC. “Refreshing Minds Scholarship” is a service mark of Coca-Cola Beverages Florida, LLC. The Caps and Gowns Design is a trademark of Coca-Cola Beverages Florida, LLC. The Coca-Cola Contour Bottle is a registered trademark of The Coca-Cola Company.

J. Katrinda McQueen, Vice President, Communications Coca-Cola Beverages Florida, LLC 813-557-9088 | [email protected]

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240606088518/en/

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Your chance of acceptance, your chancing factors, extracurriculars, applying for the coca-cola scholarship.

Sup, guys! I've come across the Coca-Cola Scholarship and it looks like an amazing opportunity. Can anyone share their experience with the application process and what they focused on when applying? Any help would be appreciated!

Hey there! I'm glad to hear you're interested in the Coca-Cola Scholarship, as it's a fantastic opportunity for high school seniors. While I've not applied for it personally, I can share some tips and insights regarding the application process that could help you out.

First, the Coca-Cola Scholarship is a merit-based scholarship, meaning that it recognizes students who demonstrate academic excellence, leadership skills, and a commitment to their community. When applying, make sure you showcase these qualities by highlighting your extracurricular activities, achievements, and community service experiences.

The application process has two phases: the initial online application and the semifinalist application. In the first phase, you'll be asked to provide your basic personal and academic information, as well as descriptions of your extracurricular activities and community involvement. Ensure that your activities reflect a strong commitment to your interests, and try to discuss the impact you've made through your involvement. It's crucial to put effort into this phase because only around 2,000 students will be selected as semifinalists out of over 95,000 applicants.

For those selected as semifinalists, the second phase of the application process is where you'll have the opportunity to demonstrate your leadership qualities, academic achievements, and personal qualities via short essays. When writing these essays, focus on being authentic and discussing experiences that highlight growth, learning, and tangible outcomes for your community. Make sure you answer each prompt clearly and stay within the word limits.

As you prepare your application, remember that the Coca-Cola Scholarship values well-rounded students who excel academically, take on leadership roles, and contribute positively to their community. It's essential to showcase these qualities throughout your application to improve your chances of success.

Best of luck with your application! It's an amazing opportunity, and I hope these tips will help you put your best foot forward.

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Our 2024 Coke Scholars

These 150 high school seniors will each receive a $20,000 college scholarship and join a family of 6,900+ alumni who are leading positive change in their communities and around the world.

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Making the Great Extraordinary

The Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation invests in our future — offering college scholarships to exceptional high school students dedicated to leadership, service, and action that positively affects others. We’ve done it for 34 years, changing the paths of more than 6,600 young people ready to change the world.

Scholar Profiles

We are the sum total of our actions.

Coke Scholars are scientists and politicians. Educators and actors. Technologists, thinkers, doers, and above all, game-changers. You’ll find our visionary leaders refreshing the world achieving all over the globe, and their impact reflected in nearly every sector from business to nonprofit to public service.

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Our Scholars take the spotlight, but we also have a lot going on behind the scenes. Take a look at our 2023 stats.

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The Federalist No. 1: Annotated

Alexander Hamilton’s anonymous essay challenged the voting citizens of New York to hold fast to the truth when deciding to ratify (or not) the US Constitution.

In May 1788, the second volume of what would come to be called The Federalist Papers , a collection of both new and previously printed essays written to sell the ratification of the US Constitution to “The People of  the State of New York,” was published. Originally printed in newspapers in New York and elsewhere, The Federalist Papers are now foundational documents of American history and political thought.

Federalist No. 1, written by Alexander Hamilton using the pseudonym “Publius” , began as a response to two earlier essays written against the ratification (by “Cato” and “Brutus” respectively.) Hamilton proposed a series of writings “to give a satisfactory answer to all the objections which shall have made their appearance, that may seem to have any claim to your attention.” He was joined by James Madison and John Jay , ultimately producing eighty-five essays that are to this day used by scholars and Supreme Court justices alike to make their cases for the intent of the Constitution’s framers and its meanings.

Below is Hamilton’s opening salvo in the debate about the future of America: would it remain a confederation of states (as it had been under the Articles of Confederation ) or a new type of federalism, inspired by the Scottish Enlightenment, Montesquieu, and “Publius”? We have annotated the essay below, with scholarship on Constitutional history, the role The Federalist Papers continues to play in American legal and political life, and the style and rhetoric of the author(s). As always, these linked resources are free to read and download.

General Introduction

For the Independent Journal .

Author: Alexander Hamilton

To the People of the State of New York:

AFTER an unequivocal experience of the inefficiency of the subsisting federal government , you are called upon to deliberate on a new Constitution for the United States of America. The subject speaks its own importance; comprehending in its consequences nothing less than the existence of the UNION, the safety and welfare of the parts of which it is composed, the fate of an empire in many respects the most interesting in the world . It has been frequently remarked that it seems to have been reserved to the people of this country, by their conduct and example, to decide the important question, whether societies of men are really capable or not of establishing good government from reflection and choice, or whether they are forever destined to depend for their political constitutions on accident and force . If there be any truth in the remark, the crisis at which we are arrived may with propriety be regarded as the era in which that decision is to be made; and a wrong election of the part we shall act may, in this view, deserve to be considered as the general misfortune of mankind.

This idea will add the inducements of philanthropy to those of patriotism, to heighten the solicitude which all considerate and good men must feel for the event. Happy will it be if our choice should be directed by a judicious estimate of our true interests, unperplexed and unbiased by considerations not connected with the public good. But this is a thing more ardently to be wished than seriously to be expected. The plan offered to our deliberations affects too many particular interests, innovates upon too many local institutions, not to involve in its discussion a variety of objects foreign to its merits, and of views, passions and prejudices little favorable to the discovery of truth.

Among the most formidable of the obstacles which the new Constitution will have to encounter may readily be distinguished the obvious interest of a certain class of men in every State to resist all changes which may hazard a diminution of the power, emolument, and consequence of the offices they hold under the State establishments; and the perverted ambition of another class of men, who will either hope to aggrandize themselves by the confusions of their country, or will flatter themselves with fairer prospects of elevation from the subdivision of the empire into several partial confederacies than from its union under one government .

It is not, however, my design to dwell upon observations of this nature. I am well aware that it would be disingenuous to resolve indiscriminately the opposition of any set of men (merely because their situations might subject them to suspicion) into interested or ambitious views. Candor will oblige us to admit that even such men may be actuated by upright intentions; and it cannot be doubted that much of the opposition which has made its appearance, or may hereafter make its appearance, will spring from sources, blameless at least, if not respectable—the honest errors of minds led astray by preconceived jealousies and fears . So numerous indeed and so powerful are the causes which serve to give a false bias to the judgment, that we, upon many occasions, see wise and good men on the wrong as well as on the right side of questions of the first magnitude to society . This circumstance, if duly attended to, would furnish a lesson of moderation to those who are ever so much persuaded of their being in the right in any controversy. And a further reason for caution, in this respect, might be drawn from the reflection that we are not always sure that those who advocate the truth are influenced by purer principles than their antagonists. Ambition, avarice, personal animosity, party opposition, and many other motives not more laudable than these, are apt to operate as well upon those who support as those who oppose the right side of a question. Were there not even these inducements to moderation, nothing could be more ill-judged than that intolerant spirit which has, at all times, characterized political parties. For in politics, as in religion, it is equally absurd to aim at making proselytes by fire and sword. Heresies in either can rarely be cured by persecution.

And yet, however just these sentiments will be allowed to be, we have already sufficient indications that it will happen in this as in all former cases of great national discussion . A torrent of angry and malignant passions will be let loose. To judge from the conduct of the opposite parties, we shall be led to conclude that they will mutually hope to evince the justness of their opinions, and to increase the number of their converts by the loudness of their declamations and the bitterness of their invectives. An enlightened zeal for the energy and efficiency of government will be stigmatized as the offspring of a temper fond of despotic power and hostile to the principles of liberty. An over-scrupulous jealousy of danger to the rights of the people, which is more commonly the fault of the head than of the heart, will be represented as mere pretense and artifice, the stale bait for popularity at the expense of the public good. It will be forgotten, on the one hand, that jealousy is the usual concomitant of love, and that the noble enthusiasm of liberty is apt to be infected with a spirit of narrow and illiberal distrust. On the other hand, it will be equally forgotten that the vigor of government is essential to the security of liberty ; that, in the contemplation of a sound and well-informed judgment, their interest can never be separated; and that a dangerous ambition more often lurks behind the specious mask of zeal for the rights of the people than under the forbidden appearance of zeal for the firmness and efficiency of government. History will teach us that the former has been found a much more certain road to the introduction of despotism than the latter, and that of those men who have overturned the liberties of republics, the greatest number have begun their career by paying an obsequious court to the people; commencing demagogues, and ending tyrants.

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In the course of the preceding observations, I have had an eye, my fellow-citizens, to putting you upon your guard against all attempts, from whatever quarter, to influence your decision in a matter of the utmost moment to your welfare, by any impressions other than those which may result from the evidence of truth. You will, no doubt, at the same time, have collected from the general scope of them, that they proceed from a source not unfriendly to the new Constitution. Yes, my countrymen, I own to you that, after having given it an attentive consideration, I am clearly of opinion it is your interest to adopt it. I am convinced that this is the safest course for your liberty, your dignity, and your happiness. I affect not reserves which I do not feel. I will not amuse you with an appearance of deliberation when I have decided. I frankly acknowledge to you my convictions, and I will freely lay before you the reasons on which they are founded. The consciousness of good intentions disdains ambiguity. I shall not, however, multiply professions on this head. My motives must remain in the depository of my own breast. My arguments will be open to all, and may be judged of by all. They shall at least be offered in a spirit which will not disgrace the cause of truth.

I propose, in a series of papers, to discuss the following interesting particulars:

• THE UTILITY OF THE UNION TO YOUR POLITICAL PROSPERITY
• THE INSUFFICIENCY OF THE PRESENT CONFEDERATION TO PRESERVE THAT UNION
• THE NECESSITY OF A GOVERNMENT AT LEAST EQUALLY ENERGETIC WITH THE ONE PROPOSED, TO THE ATTAINMENT OF THIS OBJECT
• THE CONFORMITY OF THE PROPOSED CONSTITUTION TO THE TRUE PRINCIPLES OF REPUBLICAN GOVERNMENT
• ITS ANALOGY TO YOUR OWN STATE CONSTITUTION and lastly,
• THE ADDITIONAL SECURITY WHICH ITS ADOPTION WILL AFFORD TO THE PRESERVATION OF THAT SPECIES OF GOVERNMENT, TO LIBERTY, AND TO PROPERTY.

In the progress of this discussion I shall endeavor to give a satisfactory answer to all the objections which shall have made their appearance, that may seem to have any claim to your attention.

It may perhaps be thought superfluous to offer arguments to prove the utility of the UNION, a point, no doubt, deeply engraved on the hearts of the great body of the people in every State , and one, which it may be imagined, has no adversaries. But the fact is, that we already hear it whispered in the private circles of those who oppose the new Constitution, that the thirteen States are of too great extent for any general system , and that we must of necessity resort to separate confederacies of distinct portions of the whole. *   This doctrine will, in all probability, be gradually propagated, till it has votaries enough to countenance an open avowal of it. For nothing can be more evident, to those who are able to take an enlarged view of the subject, than the alternative of an adoption of the new Constitution or a dismemberment of the Union. It will therefore be of use to begin by examining the advantages of that Union, the certain evils, and the probable dangers, to which every State will be exposed from its dissolution. This shall accordingly constitute the subject of my next address.

*The same idea, tracing the arguments to their consequences, is held out in several of the late publications against the new Constitution. [ Editor’s Note: this note appeared in the margins of the original source. ]

[Text taken from the US Library of Congress: https://guides.loc.gov/federalist-papers/full-text ]

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