Applications Now Closed
Please contact us if you have questions.
Scholarships
The John Pettibone Memorial Scholarship Fund, Inc. scholarship is available online only. Scholarships must be completed in full to be submitted.
Online applications are password-protected. Passwords are available through the NMHS’s Career Center.
All graduating New Milford High School students eligible for college, associate degrees, and trade school are encouraged to apply. Scholarships are need-based and awarded at New Milford High School’s Scholarship Night. Once you have completed and submitted an application, you will be contacted with a date and time for a roundtable interview with our Board of Trustees. We generally give financial awards to two-thirds or more of all students granted an interview. Our interviews are casual and friendly, but we recommend you read the list below for how to prepare best. We hope to see you soon!
How to Stand Out
Preparing for your interview with the JPMSF Board of Trustees is simple.
Make sure your application is complete before submitting and keep a copy of the details for yourself to bring with you to your interview.
Get your financial ducks in a row. How much does one year of school cost to attend your chosen college (even if you’re undecided when you apply, have that info ready for your interview)? How much do you have secured to pay for college? How much do you need to cover the difference (this is where your high school math skills kick in)? And how will you make up the difference (work, student loans, plant a money tree)?
Make a mental (or written) list of your accomplishments to let us get to know you better. Did you train to run a 5K recently? Played varsity for four years? Volunteered at your church every weekend? Or do you love to sew, hike, fix cars, or create nonprofit start-ups? Maybe you’re an Eagle Scout or were part of NMHS’s theater productions. Whatever it is that makes you, you, we want to know (and you only get a few minutes to chat, so keep the bullet list concise to what matters most to you).
Family — we want to know anything that will help us make a decision. Do you have three siblings in college already (financial strain)? Are you the first to go to college in your family? Was a parent recently laid-off or switch jobs? It’s sometimes hard to share personal information, but it helps us decide our need-based scholarships.
Be on time, but prepared to wait. We try to keep everyone timed perfectly, but sometimes life happens. Please try your best to be on time, and contact us if you’re running late. And please understand if we’re running a few minutes behind. We’ll contact you if anything significant changes in the schedule (we call cell phones and will email when necessary).
Applications Now Closed
Please fill out the application in completion.
Applications can only be accepted if all information is provided. Once you have completed and submitted your application, we will review it and be in touch with a date and time for your interview. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us. We look forward to meeting you!
Separately and required, please upload a copy of page one of your FAFSA (SAR) showing your EFC:
NMHS Local Scholarship Application Submission Form (Class of 2024).
Forms are only accessible by NMHS school email accounts.
Tips for Your First Year Away
Create a Budget
Speak with your parents about who is paying for what and how. Keep in mind the cost of splurging on take-out or groceries that may spoil in a dorm room. And the added cost of gas, if you have a car.
Learn from Mistakes
We all make them. Don't beat yourself up. Figure out what went wrong, fix it when possible, and move on.
Set Up Personal Accounts
Set up a personal checking and savings account and master the art of keeping your accounts balanced. Look for accounts with no fees (most require that you maintain a minimum balance). And be cautious — Venmo makes it very easy to lose track.
Work Part-Time
Working teaches responsibility and money management, but if academics are overwhelming, you might want to delay employment your first year.
Practice with Plastic
Credit cards are not necessary, but when used responsibly, for emergencies, and paid in full each month, you can build a healthy credit history. Discuss how to keep your credit safe with a parent or trusted adult.
Get Involved
Meet new people. Try new things. Join clubs. You will be surrounded by interesting people, with different ideas, from all walks of life. Get to know them and you’ll learn more about yourself too.