At Zirkin & Schmerling, we understand how important getting an education is. We also recognize how expensive it can be as well.
Parents (and many times students themselves) have to pay for housing, books, tuition, and meals upfront. Some people have to work night jobs or attend school at night after work to be able to afford college.
Some people have to work night jobs or attend school at night after work to be able to afford college. Most college expenses are paid for with loans, which must be repaid after a student graduates.
In an attempt to help students cover some of this cost, we are offering a $1,000 per year scholarship to one individual who is attending or planning to attend an accredited college or graduate school in the United States in the near future.
How to Apply
To apply for the Zirkin & Schmerling Educational Scholarship, a between 700 and 800-word essay should be submitted on the following topic:
What do you believe is the biggest issue/challenge society is faced with today? What would you do to attempt a solution?
Note: No essays will be accepted if they are below 700 words or more than 800 words.
Application Guidelines
The application guidelines are as follows:
- Applicants and Essays (about the above subject only) should be received by July 15th at 5:00 p.m. EST for current-year consideration. Submissions received after July 15th will be considered in the following year. Proof of current enrollment may again be required.
- No applications or essays will be accepted via direct email. To enter the Education Scholarship Program, applicants must complete the form below.
- If asked, applicants must show proof of enrollment.
- Please do not use ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, or any other LLM type of service to write the essay.
- If you do not follow the above application guidelines, your submission will not be considered.
Criteria for Winner Selection
The essays will be judged on thoughtfulness, grammar, and originality. We are looking for well-thought-out essays that provide novel solutions to a societal issue, not a personal issue. We will email the winner by August 15th to let them know our choice. We look forward to reading your thoughts!