Application Scoring and Preparation

Application Scoring

CTE scholarships are competitive.  CTE scholarships and awards are based on total points, and every point counts. Make every effort to respond to each prompt to the best of your ability.  Distinguish yourself from your peers by highlighting your experiences that helped you prepare for college-level study in your chosen career.

Strong scores are usually the result of some degree of discussion and reflection prior to filling out the application.  Your response must be your original work.  Consider developing a few rough drafts and having a parent, teacher, or school counselor review them and provide feedback prior to completing the scholarship application.

The highest scores are given to applicants whose responses contain multiple, directly related examples.  The content of each response will strongly support the applicant’s qualifications for a scholarship.  Responses will be clearly written and concise.  A professional tone and style will be evident in your writing.  Content that is unstructured, disjointed, or contains pervasive errors in mechanics, usage, spelling, and/or grammar will not score well.

Application Preparation

Prior to filling out the CTE Scholarships and Tuition Awards application, please review the application questions that will require more consideration when filling out the application.

• Describe the related Work-Based Learning (WBL) experience you had during high school (grades 9-12). [4 Points Possible]
• If you participated in a Career and Technical Student Organization (CTSO) during high school, explain what leadership and workplace skills you developed and explain how it benefited you in your career preparation. For example, workplace skills could include accountability, communication, critical thinking, dependability, problem solving, teamwork, etc. [4 Points Possible]
• What other leadership, citizenship, and/or service experiences did you participate in during high school (grades 9-12)? [4 Points Possible]
• Outline and discuss your educational and occupational timeline and plan. [4 Points Possible]
• Reflecting on your high school years (grades 9-12), how did CTE courses you completed prepare you for life after high school? What advantages did they provide for your college and career plans? [2 Points Possible]
• What advice would you offer to future students about taking CTE courses during high school? [2 Points Possible]
• Was there an educator (teacher, counselor, administrator) who was especially influential in your career choice? If so, who? What did they do to help you? [2 Points Possible]

Qualifications and Application

Thank you for your interest in the 2021 CTE Scholarship and Tuition Awards.  The application period for 2021 
will be from November 2, 2020 through January 29, 2021.

Before beginning the 2020 CTE Scholarship and Tuition Awards Application, all applicants need to meet all the eligibility qualifications and have the following documentation and information ready to upload. You must confirm each of the eligibility qualifications and documentation requirements to enable the 2021 CTE Scholarship and Tuition Awards Application.

Eligibility Qualifications

• Lawfully present in the United States and must be a current Utah resident.
• A high school senior, currently enrolled in a Utah public secondary school.
• Eligible to graduate from a Utah public secondary school before September 1, 2021.
• Applicant must verify the CTE program he/she wants to enroll in is offered at the selected institutions. Please refer to the Institution Criteria Frequently Asked Questions for detailed information.
• The applicant may accept other private scholarships. However, be aware that at some participating institutions, applicants cannot accept a CTE Scholarship and Tuition Award and another scholarship from the same institution.

Documentation Requirements

• Signed USBE Media Release
• Letter of Recommendation, CTE Teacher
• Letter of Recommendation, Other
• CTE Career Pathway
• Signed, Unofficial Transcript(s) with All CTE Courses Highlighted
• All CTE Skill Certificates Earned and/or Industry Exams Scanned into One Document

Institution Criteria Frequently Asked Questions

Each institution has different criteria on how the awards can be used. Please make sure to review each institution’s criteria below. The information below will let you know if a scholarship can be deferred, if a scholarship can begin in the summer, if it can be combined with another scholarship, etc.

Publications and Resources

Publications

2021 Public Relations Flyers
Flyer 1 | Flyer 2

2020 Winners List
Winners of the 2020 CTE Scholarships and Tuition Awards and their parent/guardian have all been notified by e-mail.  Those who did not receive a scholarship award were also notified via e-mail on April 15, 2020. Due to COVID-19, the Utah State Board of Education offices are closed to employees.  Certificates will be mailed to all scholarship recipients as soon as we are once again able to access the building.

Resources

Videos
Tips and Tricks to Prepare Students for the CTE Scholarship Application (YouTube)

CTE Programs in Utah Colleges and Universities
Please check to see if the CTE program you want to enter is offered at the institution you want to attend.

1. Visit HigherEdUtah.org
2. Click on USHE Majors Guide
3. Click on Public Colleges and Universities
4. Review public institution directions, definition and program listings.