Distinction Scholarships

Some students show us who they are before they ever walk through our doors — a knack for bringing people together, a drive to dig fully into a subject, a body of work built one rehearsal or practice at a time. The Distinction Scholarship exists to make room for exactly those students, whatever a family’s ability to pay.

Combine with financial aid for up to full tuition

A Distinction Scholarship is designed to work alongside our need-based tuition assistance program, not instead of it. Families who qualify for both can see their award cover up to the full cost of tuition. There’s no reason a strong candidate should rule Summerfield out before applying.

What we look for

We’re looking for students who show initiative, self-awareness, and a genuine interest in becoming part of the Summerfield community — not a single test score. Strengths can show up in any of these areas:

Social leadership

Students who bring people together — organizing, mentoring, or simply showing up for their peers and community in ways that make a group stronger.

Academic merit

Students who take real ownership of their learning: curious, motivated, and willing to push through a subject that doesn’t come easily at first.

Artistic achievement

Students who’ve put in the work to develop a craft — on stage, in the studio, or on their own — and can point to real growth because of it.

Athletic endeavors

Students who’ve committed to a sport, on a team or on their own, and have grown through the discipline it takes.

About Summerfield Waldorf High School

At Summerfield, you’ll experience a rigorous academic curriculum balanced with a holistic, experiential approach to learning. We foster creative initiative in the next generation of young adults, and every student’s four-year journey is built around recognizing, practicing, and learning what it takes to identify their unique potential and find their path.

Through diverse academic and social opportunities — trips, international exchanges, apprenticeships, and community service — our students graduate with the confidence to step into the world as young adults: able to critically examine any topic set before them, and ready to participate as both an individual and a community member.

How to apply

Apply for the scholarship while your admissions application is still open. Distinction Scholarship consideration runs alongside your enrollment application, and it has to: we cannot grant the scholarship once a student has already been accepted. There’s no separate deadline, but submit your materials before your admissions decision comes back.

Two things are needed: your written responses to the questions below, and one additional letter of recommendation. Admissions can walk you through it.

1. Scholarship category

Indicate which scholarship you are interested in:

• Social Leadership
• Academic Merit
• Artistic Excellence
• Athletic Endeavors

Then answer all three of these about that category:

• Describe the ways in which you excel in this aspect of your school or personal life. You may include significant milestones that show growth, or events that you are proud of.
• What motivates you to excel?
• Describe a situation in your experience where you overcame a challenge or a feeling of being overwhelmed.

2. Why Summerfield?

Why do you want to attend Summerfield Waldorf High School?

3. Community

How do you see yourself being an exceptional citizen of the Summerfield High School community?

What to submit

• Your written responses — please keep them to two pages or less.
• One additional letter of recommendation from a teacher or coach, specifically addressing why you should receive this scholarship.

Submit your Scholarship Application with your Admissions Application

There is no separate deadline for the Distinction Scholarship. However, all supplemental scholarship materials must be submitted at the same time as your admissions application.

Please email your completed scholarship essay and teacher or coach recommendation to the Admissions team, using the contact details below, when you submit your admissions application.

We are unable to accept or process Distinction Scholarship applications submitted after an admissions application has already been received and processed. The scholarship application and admissions application must be submitted together.