No Student Loans Necessary: How One Graduating Senior Scored $10 Million in Scholarships

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Louisiana high school senior Dennis Maliq Barnes has set a new world record after receiving more than $10 million in scholarship offers. 

How can students position themselves to earn millions in scholarships? Here are some takeaways from this scholarship winner and advice for securing financial assistance to attend college without taking out tons of student loans.

Earning Millions in Scholarship Offers

Barnes, in an interview with CNN, said he began applying to schools in August 2022. The amount of financial aid and acceptances into universities kept increasing as he applied to more schools. He applied to 200 schools and received more than 185 college acceptance letters. 

In a follow-up CNN story, Barnes said he plans to attend Cornell University in the fall where he will study computer science and move on to practice software development. According to his high school, he has received 27 college credits in the past two years due to dual enrollment in Southern University of New Orleans. Barnes is also the recipient of accolades for his academic achievements.

How much scholarship money can colleges offer incoming applicants? Antonio Cruz, mentor with Ivy Scholars, said most schools offer need-based and merit-based scholarships. Colleges that are outside of the top Ivy League universities offer generous merit aid packages to convince the nation’s best students to attend their school instead of Harvard or Yale. 

For students to qualify for this level of financial aid, Cruz said they need to be academically stellar throughout their high school career. “Students who are seeking this level of aid need to be the kind of students universities will go out of their way to attract.”

Tips for Securing College Financial Aid

What should students do to better put them in a position to secure scholarships? 

Have a Defining Passion

Students striving to receive full-ride scholarships should work on achieving a strong academic profile, said Rachel Coleman, independent education consultant at College Essay Editor. This means keeping a high GPA, school leadership, extracurricular activities and high test scores. 

Besides academia, Coleman recommends students find what they’re passionate about and strive to become the best at it. “Colleges love students who not only have a defining passion, but show — with concrete evidence in the resume/essays — how they have gone about taking steps to pursue this passion.”

Discuss College Financing With Family

Before students start applying for scholarships, it’s a good idea to discuss college financing with family. 

“Students and parents should evaluate their financial situation ahead of time, and make strategic decisions about which colleges will offer the most aid, need-based or merit-based, depending on their situation,” Coleman said. 

Start Applying For Scholarships

Don’t wait to begin applying for scholarships. Cindy Chanin, education expert and founder of Rainbow EDU Consulting & Tutoring, recommends combing through databases like scholarships.com to find potential scholarships. 

“Give yourself ample time to craft the application essays, demonstrating on those essays what makes you unique and compelling – how you will add value and prove an asset to a community or a college campus,” Chanin said.

Read the Fine Print

Once a student receives a scholarship offer, Chanin recommends carefully reviewing the offer letter and any related documents. Doing so will allow students to see how they can wisely use their scholarship and maximize its benefits as well as meet any scholarship requirements. 

“It’s especially important to pay attention to specific GPA cut-offs or community service requirements that must be complied with to maintain the scholarship,” Chanin said. “Many scholarships are provided on a renewable basis, so students should take proactive steps to meet the renewal criteria. Also, because scholarships are awarded for specific purposes — usually for academic related expenses such as room and board, tuition, or books — it’s important to be mindful of those limitations and not treat the scholarship as a blank check.”

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