My older daughter's troop is entering sixth grade and going to middle school. With that transition to middle school or junior high, there is often a drop off in Girl Scout membership. This fact has got me thinking about retention. Right now, I'm doing well keeping the girls interested and involved or at least registered... but I know the inevitable will happen and I will lose some of "my girls."

One item that I know will pull on not only the girls but also their parents as they inch closer to college is the positive impact that Girl Scout membership can have on college applications and lure of scholarship money.

Girl Scouts was way ahead of the curve in that the program is very service oriented and always has been. I have heard that students often start community service around the ninth grade as it becomes clear to them that colleges are looking for that on their applications. I myself am a alumni interviewer for my alma mater and I can clearly see the pattern of service starting around ninth grade. For any girl who sticks with Girl Scouts from an early age, the service record becomes one that speaks of a long-term, ongoing commitment.

My own troop can list six years of partnering with their school to collect and wrap toys for a local children's hospital and five years of donating a portion of their cookie sales to the military serving in Iraq. I could write several pages on their other service accomplishments, but my point was to show continuity and commitment, both of which speak strongly on a college application. In addition to service, the other obvious items that will serve a girl well on a college application are awards, including but not limited to the Silver and Gold Awards and leadership awards.

The other bonus for high school seniors in Girl Scouts is the scholarship pot. My own service unit initiated a local scholarship for girls in our service unit. Older girls should not stop at their service units and their councils. The American Legion offers a Girl Scout Achievement Awards for Gold Award recipients, and the the Corinne Jeannine Schillings Foundation Scholarship provides funds for Girl Scout Gold or Silver Award recipients who plan on majoring in a foreign language. The Elks Foundation provides an annual scholarship of up to $6,000 (over a four-year period) for college-bound Girl Scouts. The Rising Stars Scholarship for Girl Scouts offers $2,500 to $10,000 to graduating Girl Scouts who plan to study mathematics in college. Eastern Orthodox Girl Scouts who have earned their Gold Award are eligible to apply for one of several $1,000 scholarships. Other awards to investigate include the Prudential Spirit of Community Award and the Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes; both reward community service.

Girls should also consider schools that offer Girl Scout-specific financial awards. Many of the schools listed here offer awards that are renewable for the full four years of a student's education. All-women's colleges often have the best scholarships for Gold Award recipients. In addition, a high school senior should not hesitate to ask the financial aid office of her college of choice about possible funding options available to Girl Scouts that are not specifically listed below:

Colleges that Offer Scholarships or Aid to Girl Scouts

Abilene Christian University
Abilene, Texas
($1,000 to $5,000; renewable annually for Gold Award recipients)

Albright College
Reading, Pennsylvania
($500; renewable for four years for Gold Award Girl Scouts)

Angelo State University
San Angelo, Texas

Bay Path College
Long Meadow, Massachusetts
($1,000; renewable annually for Gold Award recipients)

Birmingham-Southern College
Birmingham, Alabama
($2,500 for Gold Award recipients)

Brenau University
Gainesville, Georgia
($1,000; renewable annually for Gold Award recipients)

Case Western Reserve University
Cleveland, Ohio
($1,000 and tied to need; renewable annually for Gold Award recipients)

Chatham University
Pittsburg, Pennsylvania
Chatham awards Girl Scout Gold Award recipients a $2,000 one-year Leadership Scholarship and considers them for additional scholarships valued at up to $10,000. The Leadership Scholarship can be renewed annually for up to three additional years ($8,000 over four years)

Chester College of New England
Chester, New Hampshire

The College of St. Catherine
St. Paul, Minnesota
($2,500; renewable annually for Gold Award recipients)

Converse College
Spartanburg, South Carolina
($2,000; renewable annually for Gold Award recipients. Recipients of the scholarship are also invited to participate in the President's Leadership Program and invited to apply to the Converse College Institute for Leadership.)

Cottey College
Nevada, Missouri
($1,000; renewable for Gold Award recipients)

Delta State University
Cleveland, Mississippi
($1,200 for Gold Award recipients)

DeVry University
Multiple Campuses, North America

Doane College
Crete, Nebraska

Douglass College (Rutgers)
New Brunswick, New Jersey
($500; renewable annually for Gold Award recipients)

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Daytona Beach, Florida
($1,500; for Gold Award recipients)

Hofstra University
Hempstead, New York
($2,000; renewable for Gold Award recipients)

Howard University, College of Engineering, Architecture, and Computer Science
Washington, District of Columbia
(Unlimited number of full-tuition scholarships available for Gold Award recipients)

Jacksonville State
Jacksonville, Alabama
($1000 for Gold Award recipients)

Johnson State College
Johnson, Vermont
($500 for Gold Award recipients)

Lake Erie College
Painesville, Ohio
($500; renewable annually for Gold Award recipients)

Lebanon Valley College
Annville, Pennsylvania
($5000; renewable annually for Gold Award recipients)

Lesley College
Cambridge, Massachusetts


Lincoln Memorial University
Harrogate, Tennessee
($1000; for Gold Award recipients)

Lindenwood College
St. Charles, Missouri
(Various awards ranging from $12,000 to $5,000 plus additional 2,400 work and learn awards renewable for up to four years)

Long Island University, C.W. Post Campus
Brookville, New York
($2,000; renewable annually for Gold Award recipients)

Maharishi University of Management
Fairfield, Iowa
($1500-$9,600; renewable annually for Gold Award recipients)

McDaniel College
Westminster, Maryland
($2,000; renewable annually for Gold Award recipients)

Midway College
Midway, Kentucky
($3,000; renewable annually for Gold Award recipients)

Missouri Valley College
Marshall, Missouri
($5000 to Girl Scouts interested in professional careers in youth or human service agencies.)

MIT Rising Star Math (or Physics) Scholarship
Cambridge, Massachusetts

Newman University
Wichita, Kansas
($1,500; renewable annually for Gold Award recipients)

Olivet College
Olivet, Michigan
($2,000 to $8,000; renewable annually for Gold Award recipients or Girl Scouts who are active in community service)

Randolph-Macon Woman's College
Lynchburg, Virginia
($2,000 to $10,000; renewable annually for Gold Award recipients)

Reed College
Portland, Oregon
Opal Weimer Tice Scholarship for all graduating Girl Scouts

St. Thomas Aquinas University
Sparkill, New York
($2,500; renewable annually for Gold Award recipients)

Syracuse University
Syracuse, New York

Temple University- Ambler College
Ambler, Pennsylvania
($2,000; renewable annually for girls who were Girl Scout members for at least five years, including time as a Girl Scout in high school)

Texas A&M University
College Station, Texas
Up to $2000 for Gold Award Girl Scouts

Trinity University
Washington, DC

University of Alabama in Huntsville
Huntsville, Alabama
(10 awards for $500; renewable annually for Gold Award recipients)

University of Louisville
Louisville, Kentucky


University of Montevallo
Montevallo, Alabama

University of Notre Dame
Notre Dame, Indiana
(The Clara M. Anthony Memorial Scholarship Fund provides scholarships to any member of Girl Scouting who has served as a girl member or adult volunteer in the organization. The scholarship is based on need.)

University of Tennessee at Martin
Martin, Tennessee
($800; renewable annually for Gold Award recipients)

Viterbo College
La Crosse, Wisconsin

Whittier College
Whittier, California
(The Barbara Ondrasik Groce Scholarship Fund gives preference to those who have been active in Girl Scouting)

Wilson College
Chambersburg, Pennsylvania
($4,000 to full tuition for Gold Award recipients; renewable with community service requirements)