Wabash College Lilly Award

Wabash Lilly Award Application & Instructions

The Wabash College Lilly Awards Program, named to honor the Lilly family of Indiana, was established by the Wabash College Board of Trustees in 1974. Each year, this program recognizes outstanding young men who show high potential for leadership and future promise — men who are likely to have an impact not only on Wabash, but on their community and thus, on our world. The Lilly Award, the College’s most prestigious scholarship, is renewable annually and covers the recipient’s tuition, fees, and on-campus room and board. We currently estimate the value of a Lilly Award (per student) for the next four years at more than $200,000.

To compete for a Lilly Award, you must meet two of the three following criteria:

• a GPA of 3.5 (4.0 scale)
• rank within the top 10 percent of your senior class
• an SAT score of at least 1240 (EBR + M), or an ACT composite of 26

These qualifications determine minimum academic eligibility only. Beyond these, we look at your individual accomplishments and abilities — achievements which may be even more important than your grades or test scores. We carefully consider all outstanding achievements, both academic and extracurricular, and we weigh one significant demonstration of leadership more heavily than casual participation in many activities. Especially impressive are young men who have shown particular initiative, worked independently or innovatively, or made a vital contribution to their school or community.

Additionally, only first time freshmen students are eligible to compete for this award. 

If you fit our description of a Lilly Award Candidate, follow these steps:

• Submit a Wabash Application for Admission, a High School Report, official standardized test scores, a letter of recommendation from your guidance counselor, and an official high school transcript. 
• Submit your Lilly Award Application, including an essay and most significant accomplishments.  All materials must be received by Friday, October 26, 2018.
• Call the Office of Admissions (800-345-5385) to schedule a campus visit. Your campus visit must be completed by November 3, 2018. 

The above deadlines are absolute. Meeting them is your responsibility.

The Selection Committee will identify finalists on or before November 15, 2018. These students will be contacted and invited to come to campus on November 29-30 for interviews with members of the Selection Committee.

The interview weekend will begin on Thursday, November 29 with a dinner held in honor of the Lilly Award Finalists. Attendance at the dinner is mandatory for the Lilly Award Finalists.

Finalists are also invited to take place in Scarlet Honors Weekend, which takes place November 30-December 1.  

The Selection Committee will notify recipients by January 1, 2019. Each Lilly Award recipient must accept his award by paying their $350 non-refundable enrollment deposit by May 1, 2019.

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