This week, we would like to remind families of an upcoming scholarship deadline. July 1 is the deadline to apply for the Arkansas Academic Challenge Scholarship.

The scholarship provides tuition assistance to traditional and non-traditional students attending universities and two-year colleges – both public and private – in the state.

Freshman students at four-year colleges receive $1,000 from the scholarship. Second- and third-year students receive $4,000, and senior-level students are awarded $5,000 per year.

At two-year colleges, first-year students receive $1,000 annually, while second-year students are awarded $3,000. To maintain eligibility, students must keep a 2.5-grade point average.

Traditional students must score at least 19 on the ACT to qualify for the scholarship. The latest ACT score accepted by the Arkansas Division of Higher Education will be from the June testing. Students who have yet to achieve a score of 19 make take the Accuplacer test as a substitute.

Since its inception in 2009, the Arkansas lottery has helped raise more than $1 billion in scholarship proceeds and awarded more than 650,000 Academic Challenge Scholarships to students.

The lottery also funds the Arkansas Workforce Challenge Scholarship and the Arkansas Concurrent Challenge Scholarships.

Students seeking certification for high-demand occupations in healthcare information technology and industrial manufacturing may apply for the Arkansas Workforce Challenge Scholarship.

And funding is available for high school students who wish to start early on receiving credit for college courses through the Arkansas Concurrent Academic Challenge Scholarship.

Every bit of education you get after high school increases the chances you'll earn good pay. Most college graduates earn more money during their working years than people who stop their education at high school earn. The more education you get, the more likely it is you will always have a job.

For more information and to apply, visit scholarships.adhe.edu.