Nolan's Berklee Tracker

🎺 Glenn Miller Scholarship Competition — Deadline April 20, 2026

$36,000 in awards for high school seniors and college freshmen. Instrumental first place is $10,000. Open to all instruments — guitar qualifies. Competition held in Clarinda, Iowa (June 11). 5 days away — apply now.

STEP 1 — Confirm Eligibility

Must be a current high school senior OR college freshman
Must intend to make music a future career focus
Must be able to travel to Clarinda, Iowa if selected as a finalist (June 10-12) — at own expense
Competition categories: Vocal and Instrumental — Nolan enters Instrumental

STEP 2 — Prepare Two Audition Recordings

Choose 2 contrasting selections of concert quality
Recommended styles: jazz, Great American Songbook, classical, Glenn Miller tunes (optional)
Upload to YouTube (unlisted OK) and copy the links, OR prepare .mp4/.mp3 files to attach
Professional dress and performance expected — treat this like a real audition
Name the songs you are submitting — have this ready for the application form

STEP 3 — Write Statement of Musical Intent

"Explain how music will become a central part of your future and why you have applied to the Glenn Miller Music Scholarship Competition."

Short and focused — explain your musical journey, career goals, and why this competition matters
Mention Berklee College of Music and your plans as a jazz guitarist

STEP 4 — Submit Application by April 20 at 5:00 PM

Apply online at glennmiller.org/scholarship
Include: contact info, parent/guardian info, song names, statement of intent, video links or files
Finalists notified April 30 — must confirm travel to Clarinda, Iowa for June 10-12
Questions: shari@glennmiller.org

Prize	Amount	Notes
1st Place Instrumental	$10,000	Top prize — compete in Clarinda, Iowa June 11
2nd Place Instrumental	$5,000
3rd Place Instrumental	$3,000

All finalists receive festival passes for the full weekend. The competition selects 10 instrumental semi-finalists nationally — highly competitive but worth submitting.

⚡ Scholly / Sallie Exclusive Scholarships — Deadline April 30, 2026

Four scholarships from Sallie Mae's Scholly platform — all close April 30. One quick application covers all of them via the Scholly Easy Apply system. No essays required. Total potential: $5,000. Apply at sallie.com/scholarships/scholly/easy-apply.

STEP 1 — Create a Scholly Account (or log in)

Go to sallie.com/scholarships/scholly/easy-apply and create a free account for Nolan. One profile unlocks all four scholarships below simultaneously.

STEP 2 — Apply to All Four with Easy Apply

Each uses Scholly Easy Apply — no essays, no long forms. Submit one application and you're entered for all four. Confirm Nolan meets basic eligibility (enrolled or enrolling in college).

Scholarship	Amount	Theme
Community Champions	$2,000	Students who make a positive impact beyond personal achievement
Opportunities for All	$2,000	Open to all students pursuing higher education regardless of field
The Power of Ideas	$1,000	Students who bring creative energy and fresh perspectives
Building Blocks	$1,000	Students who build lasting success step by step through persistence

STEP 3 — Submit Before April 30 Midnight

All four scholarships close April 30 — do not wait until the last day
Apply directly at sallie.com/scholarships/scholly/easy-apply
Winners are selected randomly from eligible applicants — volume matters, so applying is always worth it
Also check the Sallie $2,000 No Essay Scholarship (monthly entry) while you're there

Note: Tracker shows Community Champions as $1,000 but the Sallie site lists it at $2,000 — total potential is $6,000 if the higher amount is correct. Apply regardless. This is the lowest-effort application group in the entire tracker.

🚨 Berklee Tuition Deposit — CRITICAL DEADLINE May 1, 2026

Paying the tuition deposit holds Nolan's spot at Berklee AND locks in his $10,000/yr merit scholarship. Missing this date means losing the spot and the award. This is the single most important action item on the entire tracker. 12 days away.

STEP 1 — Log in to Nolan's Berklee Student Portal

Go to compass.berklee.edu and sign in using Nolan's Berklee credentials (Student ID: 0955707). The deposit is paid directly through the student portal under Enrollment or Student Accounts.

STEP 2 — Confirm Deposit Amount and Payment Method

Deposit amount is set by Berklee — check the portal or your acceptance letter for the exact figure
Payment accepted via credit card, debit card, or bank transfer through the portal
Contact One Stop Student Services if you have questions: onestop@berklee.edu or +1-617-747-6777

STEP 3 — Submit Enrollment Confirmation

In the portal, confirm enrollment intent for Fall 2026 alongside the deposit submission. Some schools require a separate confirmation step — complete both before May 1 to be safe.

STEP 4 — Screenshot and Save Confirmation

Save the payment confirmation receipt and enrollment confirmation email. These serve as proof of deposit and enrollment intent — keep them accessible for financial aid follow-ups and housing applications.

Note: The housing application deadline is May 5 — immediately after the deposit. Complete both in the same sitting if possible. Missing either one risks Nolan's spot and on-campus housing for Fall 2026.

🏆 NFMC Michael R. Edwards Graduating Senior Award — Deadline May 1, 2026

$5,000 for graduating high school seniors pursuing music. Any instrument qualifies — including guitar. 17 days away. Must join NFMC first.

STEP 1 — Join NFMC Junior Division (do this first)

Go to nfmc-music.org/membership or call (317) 882-4003 (Indiana-based office, 8AM–4:30PM). Get Junior Division individual membership. Cost is approximately $25–30. Must be active before applying. Note: NFMC headquarters is in Greenwood, IN — good local connection for an Indiana resident.

STEP 2 — Download Rules and Requirements

Visit nfmc-music.org — Michael R. Edwards Award page
Download the full Rules and Requirements document
$20 entry fee

STEP 3 — Submit Application by May 1

Must be a graduating high school senior pursuing a music major
Any performance instrument — guitar qualifies
Submit via the NFMC Apply portal by May 1, 2026
Questions: info@nfmc-music.org or (317) 882-4003

Future opportunity: NFMC Classical Guitar Award ($2,000) — age 19–25, deadline March 1 annually. Nolan can apply in his sophomore year at Berklee. Join NFMC Student/Collegiate Division when he enrolls.

🎵 ASCAP Foundation Leiber & Stoller Scholarship — Deadline May 21, 2026

$10,000 over 4 years ($2,500/yr) for high school seniors aspiring to careers as songwriters, musicians, or vocalists. Founded by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller ("Hound Dog," "Jailhouse Rock," "Stand By Me"). The song Nolan submits must be fully written by him — lyrics and music. 36 days away.

STEP 1 — Confirm Eligibility

Must be a high school senior OR recent graduate
Must plan to major in music at an accredited college or university
Must aspire to a career as a songwriter, musician, instrumentalist, or vocalist
Scholarship paid directly to school — Berklee qualifies

STEP 2 — Write an Original Song (Nolan must write this)

Lyrics must be fully written by Nolan — this is a core requirement per the tracker notes
The song can be performed by anyone, but Nolan must be the songwriter
Judged on music AND lyric writing, overall craftsmanship, and artistry
Any genre qualifies — original jazz composition with lyrics would be a strong fit
Record a performance of the original song to submit

STEP 3 — Apply by May 21, 2026 at 11:59 PM ET

Apply at ascapfoundation.org
Download and review the Official Rules and Regulations before applying
Submit original song (audio/video recording) + application materials
Scholarship sent directly to Berklee for tuition — $2,500/yr for 4 years ($10,000 total)

Note: This requires Nolan to be a songwriter. If he has written original material (lyrics + music), this is a strong fit. If he writes purely instrumental compositions, confirm whether the lyric requirement is mandatory before applying.

🎼 MPTF Music's Future Scholarship — Deadline May 31, 2026

$2,500 for music students pursuing degrees in performance, education, therapy, or conducting. 30 recipients selected nationally. Administered via grantinterface.com. Important flag: applicants must be enrolled in a qualifying music program — Nolan enrolls fall 2026, so confirm whether incoming freshmen are eligible before applying. 46 days away.

STEP 1 — Verify Eligibility (IMPORTANT)

Must be enrolled in: Music Performance, Music Therapy, Music Education, or Conducting
Must maintain at least a 2.0 GPA
Music Performance at Berklee qualifies — but confirm whether incoming fall 2026 freshmen are accepted
If "enrolled" means currently in classes, Nolan may need to apply after starting in September
Email nhepburnbeaty@musicpf.org to confirm incoming freshman eligibility before investing time in the application

STEP 2 — Prepare Application Materials

1 letter of reference — from a music teacher, instructor, or ensemble director
Resume — music experience, performances, bands, competitions
Transcript — high school diploma or unofficial transcript is fine
Personal essay — approximately 500-750 words responding to the current year's writing prompt
Essays are scored on originality — note that MPTF screens for over-reliance on AI writing tools
Headshot — required for the Music Family track; confirm if needed for Music's Future

STEP 3 — Submit via GrantInterface by May 31, 2026

Application portal: grantinterface.com — MPTF Scholar
30 recipients selected for the Music's Future track ($2,500 each)
Paid toward music degree — Berklee qualifies
Full details at musicpf.org/home/scholarships

$150,000 total awarded in 2026. Since 2020 MPTF has awarded 550+ scholarships worth over $700,000. Strong track record. Confirm freshman eligibility first, then apply.

🎨 Support Creativity Scholarship — Deadline May 1, 2026

Up to $1,000 (three $1,000 awards: World, Undergraduate, Graduate). Designed for designers, animators, artists, photographers, and creatives pursuing higher education. Apply at wesupportcreativity.org/scholarship. 11 days away.

⚠️ Geographic Restriction — Verify Before Applying: The Access Scholarships listing states this award is for residents of NY, NJ, CT, or PA only. Nolan is an Indiana resident attending Berklee in Boston. Check the official site at wesupportcreativity.org to confirm whether an Indiana resident attending a Boston school qualifies under the "World Scholarship" tier (which has no listed state restriction). If not eligible, skip and focus on May 1 priorities.

STEP 1 — Verify Eligibility and Confirm Open Application

Visit wesupportcreativity.org/scholarship and check the current cycle status
Confirm the $1,000 World Scholarship tier does not require NY/NJ/CT/PA residency
Nolan's focus: guitar performance and music — confirm "creative field" includes music
No GPA requirement for any tier — that's favorable
If eligible, sign up for the email list to receive application updates immediately

STEP 2 — Create the Required Creative Work

Design or create something that illustrates Nolan's passion for music and guitar — any medium is accepted (drawing, painting, digital art, film, animation, video)
A short performance video, an album artwork concept, or a hand-drawn guitar design all qualify
Nolan already has YouTube performance shorts that could work — confirm if video is accepted

STEP 3 — Write the Essay and Submit by May 1, 2026

Essay required: explain the creative piece, why Nolan should receive the scholarship, and any financial hardship — no length requirement ("as long as you want and as short as you dare")
Mention the Berklee gap ($150,000+ tuition over 4 years), the $10k scholarship already earned, and the remaining funding need
Submit both the creative piece and essay at wesupportcreativity.org/scholarship
Deadline: May 1, 2026

Low barrier to entry — no GPA requirement, any medium accepted for the creative piece. Priority action: confirm Indiana/music eligibility at wesupportcreativity.org first. If eligible, the essay component makes this a strong personal story fit for Nolan.