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BigFuture Scholarships Official Rules Class of 2023

BIGFUTURE SCHOLARSHIPS AND RECOGNITION PROGRAM (CLASS OF 2023)

OFFICIAL RULES

NO PURCHASE OR PAYMENT OF ANY KIND IS NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. Void where prohibited by law. This Program is subject to all federal, state, and local laws, regulations, and ordinances.

The BigFuture Scholarships and Recognition Program (“Scholarship Program” or “Program”) begins on December 6, 2021 at 12:00:01 a.m. Eastern Standard Time (“EST”) and ends on February 28, 2023 at 11:59:59 p.m. EST for the Class of 2023. Sponsor’s computer is the official timekeeping device for this Scholarship Program.

By completing a college planning step, each eligible student (and, if a minor, their parent or legal guardian) (“you”) will automatically participate in the Scholarship Program and be subject to these Official Rules. By completing a college planning step, you agrees to abide by these Official Rules and decisions of College Board (“Sponsor”), which shall be final and binding in all respects relating to the Scholarship Program.

At any time, Eligible Students may cancel participation in this Scholarship Program by updating their status at bigfuture.org/scholarships-opt-out.

1. SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM OVERVIEW.

The Scholarship Program was created to guide and motivate students through steps to plan and pay for college and reward their efforts by awarding scholarship funds that students can use at a Title IV eligible institution of higher education (“Institution”).

The Scholarship Program is open to juniors and seniors in high school who meet the eligibility requirements described in Section 2 below. If you are an eligible student, by completing a college planning step (each, a “BigFuture College Planning Step”) using your College Board account, you will automatically earn a chance to win a $500 scholarship and an additional chance to win a $40,000 scholarship.

The six BigFuture College Planning Steps are described below:

  1. Build Your College List: Get started by exploring colleges of interest and build and save a college list on BigFuture (bigfuture.collegeboard.org) with at least six (6) schools. You must be logged in to BigFuture using your College Board account.
  2. Practice for the SAT: Log in and complete either (a) a Timed Mini Section or (b) a Diagnostic Quiz to practice for the SAT using Official SAT Practice on Khan Academy (www.satpractice.org). Your College Board and Khan Academy accounts must be linked.
  3. Explore Scholarships: Explore a list of scholarships personalized based on your background, achievements, and future plans on Scholarship Search on BigFuture (https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/scholarship-match). Select the “Go Apply” button for at least one (1) scholarship from your personalized list. You must be logged in to Scholarship Search using your College Board account and complete prompts to generate a personalized list.
  4. Strengthen Your College List: Create or edit a college list on College Board BigFuture (bigfuture.collegeboard.org) so that it has a minimum of one (1) “safety,” two (2) “match,” and three (3) “reach” colleges. You must be logged in to BigFuture using your College Board account and save your college list.
  5. Complete the FAFSA: With your parent or legal guardian, fill out and submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (“FAFSA”) form, available at www.studentaid.ed.gov/sa/fafsa, to apply for financial aid. If you are not a citizen or do not meet the residency requirements and thus legally ineligible to complete the FAFSA, you may still earn an entry by completing your state’s financial aid form, if available. If your state does not offer a state financial aid form or if you are also legally ineligible to complete your state’s financial aid form, by so attesting, you may still earn an entry for this scholarship. If you earn your entry by submitting the FAFSA or your state’s financial aid form and you are selected for one of these scholarships, you will be required to provide documentation of your submission. If instead you earned your entry because you are legally ineligible to complete both the FAFSA and your state’s financial aid form or you are legally ineligible to complete the FAFSA and your state does not offer a state financial aid form and you are selected for one of these scholarships, you will not be required to take any further action.
  6. Apply to Colleges: Apply to at least two (2) colleges. If you applied binding Early Decision to a college, you may still earn an entry for this scholarship by indicating that you applied binding Early Decision. You will be required to provide proof of your college applications if you are selected for one of these scholarships.

2. ELIGIBILITY.

The Scholarship Program is open to students (“Eligible Students” or “Students”) who meet the following eligibility requirements:

  • Attend a public, private, or home school, located in one of the fifty (50) United States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands, or any other U.S. territories and possessions, or are U.S. Citizens or residents who attend a U.S. Department of Defense Education Activity (“DoDEA”) school outside of the United States and U.S. territories;
  • Are/were, as of December 1, 2021, juniors in high school (i.e., students in their third year of secondary school); and
  • Have a College Board online account.

Children or wards of (a) employees, officers and trustees of Sponsor, Khan Academy and their affiliates, agents or representatives; (b) Program’s advertising and promotion agencies, if any; as well as (c) household members of (a) and (b), whether or not related, are not eligible to receive Scholarships as part of this Scholarship Program.

For students who attend DoDEA schools outside of the United States and U.S. territories, Sponsor may require additional proof of citizenship or residency status to. The form of such additional proof will be determined by Sponsor in its sole discretion.

“Lower Income Students,” defined as students (a) eligible to receive a fee waiver from the College Board, and/or (b) attending a high-poverty school (defined by the U.S. Department of Agriculture as a school where 75% or more of students receive free or reduced price lunch), and/or (c) having a family Adjusted Gross Income of $60,000 or less, will have a chance to enter separate and additional drawings, as described below. For students for whom (c) applies, they may be required to provide verification of their family Adjusted Gross Income using our secure document system if they are selected for one of the separate and additional scholarships.

3. HOW TO EARN AN ENTRY IN DRAWINGS.

Step 1: Create a College Board account if you do not already have one. Eligible Students who already have a College Board account will automatically be entered into drawings when they complete each qualifying BigFuture College Planning Step. Eligible Students who do not already have a College Board account who wish to enter should create a College Board account at collegeboard.org website.

Step 2: During the open periods listed below, Eligible Students will automatically be entered into the drawings for the Scholarships when they complete each eligible BigFuture College Planning Step using their College Board account:

$500 Scholarships

  1. Build Your College List: Between December 6, 2021 and June 30, 2022, build a college list on BigFuture (bigfuture.collegeboard.org) with at least six (6) schools. Eligibility for monthly drawings will close at 11:59:59 p.m. EST on the last day of each month from January 31, 2022 to June 30, 2022. Students will earn one (1) entry in the month they complete the BigFuture College Planning Step. The entry of those students who did not win will be rolled over to the following month. Limit: One (1) entry per student.
  2. Practice for the SAT: Between December 6, 2021 and October 31, 2022, practice for the SAT by completing a Timed Mini Section or a Diagnostic Quiz using Official SAT Practice on Khan Academy (www.satpractice.org). Eligibility for monthly drawings will close at 11:59:59 p.m. EST on the last day of each month from January 31, 2022 to October 31, 2022. Students earn one (1) entry in the month when they complete either activity. The entry of those students who did not win will be rolled over to the following month. Limit: One (1) entry per student.
  3. Explore Scholarships: Between July 1, 2022 and February 28, 2023, explore a scholarship list that is personalized based on background, achievements and future plans using Scholarship Search on BigFuture (https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/scholarship-match). Eligibility for monthly drawings will close at 11:59:59 pm EST on the last day of each month from July 31, 2022 to February 28, 2023. Students earn one (1) entry when they complete prompts to access the list of scholarships. The entry of those students who did not win will be rolled over to the following month. Limit: One (1) entry per student.
  4. Strengthen Your College List: Between July 1, 2022 and October 31, 2022, create or edit a college list on BigFuture (bigfuture.collegeboard.org) so that it has a minimum of one (1) “safety,” two (2) “match,” and three (3) “reach” colleges. Students must save their college list. Eligibility for monthly drawings will close at 11:59:59 p.m. EST on the last day of each month from July 31, 2022 to October 31, 2022. Students will earn one (1) entry in the month when they create and save their college list with the minimum “safety,” “match,” and “reach” colleges specified above. The entry of those students who did not win will be rolled over to the following month. Limit: One (1) entry per student.
  5. Complete the FAFSA: Between October 1, 2022 and February 28, 2023, with the assistance of a parent or legal guardian, as necessary, complete and submit the FAFSA. If the student is not a citizen or does not meet the residency requirements and is thus legally ineligible to complete the FAFSA, the student may still earn an entry by completing their state’s financial aid form, if available. If the student’s state does not offer a state financial aid form or if the student is also legally ineligible to complete their state’s financial aid form, by so attesting, the student may still earn an entry for this scholarship. Eligibility for monthly drawings will close at 11:59:59 PM EST on the last day of each month from October 31, 2022 to February 28, 2023. Student earns one entry in the month they meet either of these requirements. The entry of those students who did not win will be rolled over to the following month. Limit: One (1) entry per student.
  6. Apply to Colleges: Between October 1, 2022 and February 28, 2023, apply to at least two (2) colleges. Student earns one (1) entry in the month that they submit the second of their two (2) college applications. If student applied to a college through binding Early Decision, they may indicate that within the Site and still earn an entry for this scholarship. Eligibility for this scholarship drawing will close at 11:59:59 p.m. EST on February 28, 2022. The entry of those students who did not win will be rolled over to the following month. Limit: One (1) entry per student.

$40,000 Scholarship

Additionally, between January 2022 and February 2023, commencing on the first month, Eligible Students who complete a College Planning Step will automatically be entered into monthly drawings for the $40,000 Scholarship. Students can earn additional entries for every College Planning Step they take within the required timeline as described above. Maximum six (6) entries per student.

A student’s entry/entries will automatically roll-over and be included in the following month’s drawing until the student wins the $40,000 prize.

Eligibility for monthly drawings will close at 11:59:59 pm EST on the last day of each month from January 2022 to February 2023.

To earn an entry without visiting the BigFuture website and completing one or more of the college planning steps, Eligible Students may call the (844) 298-3554 toll-free number or email [email protected] to request an alternate entry form. The form will be mailed upon request to the Eligible Student. A completed form should be mailed back to the College Board, Attn: BigFuture Scholarships, 2200 NW 72nd Avenue, Miami, FL 33152-9418, with the requested information including: full name, mailing address, email address, birthdate, College Board account username, and the scholarship type and drawing month when mail-in entry should be applied. Limit one (1) entry per stamped outer envelope. P.O. Boxes are not permitted. Also, an individual is limited to one (1) entry per person. Entries received from any person in excess of these limitations shall be void. Automated or bulk entries or entries submitted by third parties may be disqualified. Entries must be submitted by the Eligible Student.

Any attempt by any entrant to obtain more than the stated number of entries by using multiple and/or different identities, forms, registrations, email addresses, logins, or any other methods will disqualify that entrant’s entries, and that entrant may be disqualified from the Program.

4. HOW TO CANCEL ENTRY IN THE SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

At any time, Eligible Students may cancel entry in this Scholarship Program by updating participation status at bigfuture.org/scholarships-opt-out.

5. PRIZES.

$500 Scholarships

  1. Build Your College List Winners: Two hundred (200) winners per month from January 2022 to March 2022. Additional two hundred (200) winners per month from January 2022 to March 2022 will be selected among entrants who are Lower Income Students. Fifty (50) winners per month from April 2022 to June 2022. Additional fifty (50) winners per month from April 2022 to June 2022 will be selected among entrants who are Lower Income Students.
  2. Practice for the SAT Winners: Twenty five (25) winners per month from January 2022 to October 2022. Additional twenty five (25) winners per month from January 2021 to October 2022 will be selected among entrants who are Lower Income Students.
  3. Explore Scholarships Winners: Twenty-five (25) winners per month from July 2022 to February 2023,. Additional twenty-five (25) winners per month from July 2022 to February 2023 will be selected among entrants who are Lower Income Students.
  4. Strengthen Your College List Winners: $500 scholarship per winner. Twenty-five (25) winners per month from July 2022 to October 2022. Additional twenty-five (25) winners per month from July 2022 to October 2022 will be selected among entrants who are Lower Income Students.
  5. Complete the FAFSA Winners: Two hundred (200) winners per month from October 2022 to December 2022. Additional two hundred (200) from October 2022 to December 2022 will be selected among entrants who are Lower Income Students. Fifty (50) winners per month from January 2023 to February 2023. Additional fifty (50) winners per month from January 2023 to February 2023 will be selected among entrants who are Lower Income Students.
  6. Apply to Colleges Winners: Twenty-five (25) winners will be selected in February 2023. Additional twenty-five (25) winners will be selected among entrants who are Lower Income Students in February 2023.

$40,000 Scholarships

One (1) winner per month from January 2022 to February 2023. Additional one (1) winner from January 2022 to February 2023 will be selected among entrants who are Lower Income Students.

6. SELECTION OF WINNERS.

Within 10 business days of the end of the qualifying month, Sponsor will select the name of potential winners of prizes in a random drawing from among all eligible entries received. The odds of winning are based on the number of eligible entries received. Limit to one $500 Scholarship per Eligible Student for each BigFuture College Planning Step. Also limit to one (1) $40,000 Scholarship per Eligible Student.

7. NOTIFICATION OF POTENTIAL WINNERS.

The potential winners of $500 Scholarships will be notified by email within 30 business days except for winners of $40,000 Scholarships, who will be notified within 45 business days, in each case of the applicable drawing.

8. VERIFICATION OF POTENTIAL WINNERS.

ALL POTENTIAL WINNERS ARE SUBJECT TO VERIFICATION BY SPONSOR, WHOSE DECISIONS ARE FINAL AND BINDING IN ALL MATTERS RELATED TO THE SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM. AN ENTRANT IS NOT A WINNER OF ANY SCHOLARSHIP UNLESS AND UNTIL ENTARNT’S ELIGIBILITY HAS BEEN VERIFIED (IF MINOR, BY PARENT/LEGAL GUARDIAN) AND ENTRANT HAS COMPLETED THE VERIFICATION PROCESS TO OFFICIALLY ACCEPT THEIR AWARD.

Potential winners must submit applicable Required Documentations as described below within 60 calendar days of the notification to claim their prize.

Required Documentations

  • Affidavit of Eligibility, Waiver and Media Consent: Potential winners must digitally sign an affidavit of eligibility and any other applicable waivers to claim their prize. If any such student is a minor, they will also need to have their parent/legal guardian sign such affidavit of eligibility and applicable waivers to claim their prize. Potential winners (and, if minor, their parent/legal guardian) will also be asked to digitally agree to a publicity release.
  • Entry Verification: In addition, except where legally prohibited, each potential winner must, if applicable, verify their entry by submitting proof to the College Board for each entry as follows:
    1. Build Your College List Winners: No verification necessary.
    2. Practice for the SAT Winners: No verification necessary.
    3. Explore Scholarships Winners: No verification necessary.
    4. Strengthen Your College List Winners: No verification necessary.
    5. Complete the FAFSA Winners: If the entry was earned by submitting the FAFSA or the state financial aid form, a photo or printout of the submission confirmation email. No verification necessary for those who are not eligible to complete the FAFSA.
    6. Apply to Colleges Winners: A photo or printout of the confirmation page of all the college applications the potential winner submitted.
  • Lower Income Verification: Additionally, potential winners who were selected for a scholarship through one of the separate and additional drawings available to Lower Income Students because they indicated that they met the family Adjusted Gross Income requirement may be asked to provide one of the following as proof of their financial status:
    • A letter from their school counselor; or
    • A photo or letter showing their free/reduced lunch status; or
    • A photo or other copy of a student aid report confirming income; or
    • A photo or other copy of a parent’s or legal guardian’s filed federal tax form(s) or transcript(s)
    • A non-tax filer’s statement of income

If a potential winner cannot be contacted as provided herein after Sponsor’s reasonable attempts to contact them, if they fail to sign and return any Required Documentation by the timeline as requested by the Sponsor, or if a potential winner is disqualified for any reason, which decision shall be based on the Sponsor’s sole discretion, the potential winner forfeits the prize. In such event, Sponsor may, in its sole discretion, award the applicable prize to an alternate winner selected by a random drawing from among all remaining eligible entries.

9. DISBURSEMENT.

Winner must indicate a Title IV eligible institution (“Institution”) to Sponsor at least 60 calendar days before the beginning of their first semester at the Institution. Sponsor, at its sole discretion, will disburse scholarship funds either directly via checks to Institutions or using pre-loaded debit cards for student use at Institutions. In cases where, prior to full disbursement, a winner (i) changes or transfers to a new Institution, (ii) defers enrollment, or (iii) ceases attending or leave the Institution for any reason, the winner shall promptly notify Sponsor of such change in their enrollment at the Institution, which shall be no later than five (5) business days after such change has been notified to the applicable Institution. Upon receipt of notification, in case of (i), Sponsor shall disburse any remaining scholarship funds at its sole discretion either to the new Institution provided it is a Title IV eligible institution or to the winner in the form of a pre-loaded debit card for use at the Institution; and in case of (ii) and (iii), winner shall have until October 1, 2024 (or October 1, 2026 in the case the reason for such deferral or leave is to enroll in the military or for religious purposes) to notify Sponsor of their enrollment at a new Institution (together with a reasonable proof of such enrollment and, in the case of a military-related deferral or leave, documentation of the applicable military service and in the case for a religious purpose, a reasonable documentation of proof) for Sponsor to disburse any remaining scholarship funds, at its sole discretion, either to the new Institution or to the winner in the form of a pre-loaded debit card for use at the Institution. If the winner fails to follow the foregoing timeline, or the winner will forfeit the remainder of the scholarship. Furthermore, even if a winner enrolls in a Title IV eligible Institution earlier than their cohort, the scholarship funds will be disbursed to the applicable Institution at the same time as the rest of the cohort. All scholarship funds must be used for undergraduate studies only. Additionally, unless all scholarship funds are used in the case of the $500 scholarship by October 1, 2024 (or in the case a students delays enrollment for military or for religious purposes, October 1, 2026) or in the case of the $40,000 scholarship, October 1, 2029, unused finds will be forfeited. Sponsor may use a third party vendor, such as Scholarship America, for the disbursement and associated administrative support.

10. PUBLICITY GRANT.

Except where prohibited by law, participation in the Program constitutes each winner and potential winner’s (and a minor winner and potential winner’s parents’ and legal guardians’) consent to Sponsor’s (and its designees’, successors’ and assigns’) use or distribution of such winner and potentila winner’s name, biography, likeness, voice, photographs (including, but not limited to, Khan Academy profile photo), video, opinions, statements, hometown, state and country of residence, high school, school district and entry for promotional, advertising, research and other purposes (including in communicating with their school and school district regarding entry and potential or actual receipt of scholarship funds) in any manner or media (including, without limitation, online, on websites and in social media), worldwide, in perpetuity, and without further payment, consideration, notice, review or consent.

11. RELEASE OF LIABILITY.

By participating, each entrant (and, if a minor, their parent or legal guardian) agrees to release, discharge, and hold harmless Sponsor (and advertising and promotion agencies), and the respective officers, directors, shareholders, employees, agents, and representatives of the forgoing (collectively, “Released Parties”) from any and all injuries, liability, losses, and damages of any kind to persons, including death, or property resulting, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, from student’s participation in the Scholarship Program or any Scholarship Program-related activity or the acceptance, possession, use, or misuse of any awarded prize.

Persons who tamper with or abuse any aspect of the Scholarship Program, who act in an unsportsmanlike or disruptive manner, or who are in violation of these Official Rules, as solely determined by Sponsor, will be disqualified and all associated entries will be void. Should any portion of the Scholarship Program be, in Sponsor’s sole opinion, compromised by non-authorized human intervention or other causes which, in the sole opinion of the Sponsor, corrupt or impair the administration, security, fairness or proper play, or submission of entries, Sponsor reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to suspend, modify, or terminate the Scholarship Program and, if terminated, at its discretion, award the prizes from among all non-suspect, eligible entries received up to time of such action using the judging procedure outlined above or as otherwise deemed fair and appropriate by Sponsor. CAUTION: ANY ATTEMPT DELIBERATELY TO DAMAGE OR UNDERMINE THE LEGITIMATE OPERATION OF THE SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM MAY BE IN VIOLATION OF CRIMINAL AND CIVIL LAWS AND SHOULD SUCH AN ATTEMPT BE MADE, SPONSOR RESERVES THE RIGHT TO SEEK DAMAGES AND OTHER REMEDIES (INCLUDING ATTORNEYS’ FEES) FROM ANY SUCH INDIVIDUAL TO THE FULLEST EXTENT OF THE LAW, INCLUDING CRIMINAL PROSECUTION.

12. DISPUTES.

Except where prohibited, each entrant agrees that: (1) any and all disputes, claims and causes of action arising out of or connected with this Scholarship Program or any prize awarded shall be resolved individually, without resort to any form of class action, and exclusively by the United States District Court for the District of New York or the appropriate State Court located in New York; (2) any and all claims, judgments and awards shall be limited to actual out-of-pocket costs incurred, including costs associated with entering this Scholarship Program, but in no event attorneys’ fees; and (3) under no circumstances will entrant be permitted to obtain awards for, and entrant hereby waives all rights to claim, indirect, punitive, incidental and consequential damages and any other damages, other than for actual out-of-pocket expenses, and any and all rights to have damages multiplied or otherwise increased. All issues and questions concerning the construction, validity, interpretation and enforceability of these Official Rules, or the rights and obligations of the entrant and Sponsor in connection with the Scholarship Program, shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York, without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law rules, which would cause the application of the laws of any jurisdiction other than the State of New York.

13. PRIVACY.

Information collected from entrants is subject to Sponsor’s Privacy Statement, available at www.collegeboard.org/privacy-center.

14. REQUEST FOR WINNERS’ LIST/OFFICIAL RULES.

For the names of scholarship winners or a copy of the Official Rules, available August 31, 2022, send a self-addressed, stamped envelope with the request to the College Board, Attn: BigFuture Scholarships, 2200 NW 72nd Avenue, Miami, FL 33152-9418. Please include a note specifying the nature of the request, e.g., asking for a hard copy of the official rules or specifying the name of the scholarship and the particular drawing date and year. Such request must be received by the Sponsor no later than 90 days after August 31, 2023, at which time all Class of 2023 scholarship winners will have been verified and scholarship dollars are distributed.

Published: December 6, 2021