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One more ACT point can be worth $40,000. Arkansas ties real scholarship dollars to test scores. Here's the map, compiled from official state and university pages (July 2026), so you know exactly what a retake is worth before you decide whether to study for one.
💥 The biggest single-point jumps in Arkansas
| Score jump | What it unlocks | 4-year value |
|---|---|---|
| 31 → 32 ACT (w/ 3.5 GPA) | Governor's Distinguished Scholarship: statewide, any school | up to $40,000 |
| 19 → 20 ACT (w/ 4.0 GPA) | UA Little Rock's merit gate, every tier requires 20 ACT | up to $40,000 |
| 30 → 31 ACT (w/ 3.5 GPA) | Harding Trustee Scholar, full undergraduate tuition | full tuition |
| 27 → 28 ACT (w/ req. GPA) | Top tier at Arkansas Tech, A-State & SAU at the same time | +$16,000 each |
| 18 → 19 ACT (GPA under 3.0) | Academic Challenge test path + entry tiers at A-State & UAFS | $15,000+ |
🏛️ State of Arkansas awards
Academic Challenge Scholarship (the lottery scholarship): $15,000 over 4 years
| How you qualify (any ONE) | Award by year (4-yr school) | Deadline |
|---|---|---|
| 3.00+ high-school GPA (any score on file) • or ACT 19+ / SAT 990+ • or Diploma of Merit | Freshman $2,000 · Sophomore $4,000 · Junior $4,000 · Senior $5,000 | July 1 of graduation year, free in SAMS (formerly YOUniversal) |
Extra: Challenge PLUS adds $500–$1,500/semester for families with FAFSA SAI under 8,000. Source: sams.adhe.edu
Governor's Distinguished Scholarship: up to $40,000
| ACT | SAT | GPA | Award | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 32+ (superscore OK) | 1410+ | 3.5 | up to $10,000/yr (tuition, fees, room & board) | March 1, last usable scores by end of February |
The single most valuable retake in Arkansas: a 31 with a 3.5 GPA should seriously consider one more sitting. Source: sams.adhe.edu
🎓 What each school pays, by score
Freshman merit awards from each school's official scholarship page. Some schools now award on GPA alone, knowing where a retake buys nothing matters just as much.
Arkansas Tech University
| GPA | ACT | $/yr | 4-yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.75–3.24 | – | $1,000 | $4,000 |
| 3.25–3.49 | 19–20 | $2,000 | $8,000 |
| 3.50–3.74 | 21+ | $4,000 | $16,000 |
| 3.75–3.99 | 24–27 | $8,000 on-campus | $32,000 |
| 4.00 | 28+ | $12,000 on-campus | $48,000 |
Automatic with your application. Top two tiers close Feb 1; others July 1. Source: atu.edu
Arkansas State University (Jonesboro)
| Scholarship | ACT | GPA | $/yr | 4-yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Endeavor | 19–20 | 3.0 | $2,000 | $8,000 |
| Enrichment | 21–24 | 3.0 | $4,000 | $16,000 |
| Inspire | 25+ | 3.5 | $6,000 | $24,000 |
| Trailblazer (new) | 28+ superscore | 3.5 | $10,000 | $40,000 |
Trailblazer deadline Feb 1; others July 1. Also: Arkansas Promise Plus (19 ACT + 3.0 GPA + income under $70K). Source: astate.edu
UA Little Rock one gate: 20 ACT
| GPA | ACT/SAT min | $/yr (incl. housing) | 4-yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.0 | 20 ACT / 1030 SAT (every tier) | $2,000 | $8,000 |
| 3.25 | $4,000 | $16,000 | |
| 3.5 | $6,000 | $24,000 | |
| 3.75 | $8,000 | $32,000 | |
| 4.0 | $10,000 | $40,000 |
A 4.0 student with a 19 ACT gets $0 from this table; at 20 they get $10,000/yr. Plus: Fall 2026 freshmen get 50% off tuition for years 1–2 (separate program). Source: ualr.edu
UA Fort Smith ACT or GPA: either works
| Tier | ACT | or GPA | $/yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lion Pride | 19 | 3.0 | up to $1,000 |
| Bronze | 21 | 3.25 | up to $2,000 |
| Silver | 25 | 3.6 | up to $3,000 |
| Gold | 27 | 3.8 | up to $4,000 |
| Platinum | 30 + 4.0 | valedictorian | up to $6,000 + $1,500 housing |
Deadline May 1. Source: uafs.edu
Southern Arkansas University
| Tier | ACT | GPA logic | $/yr | 4-yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Achievement | 18–20 | or 3.00+ | $2,000 | $8,000 |
| Scholastic Merit | 21–23 | or 3.25+ | $3,000 | $12,000 |
| SAU Success | 24–26 | or 3.50+ | $4,000 | $16,000 |
| Blue & Gold | 27+ | or 3.75+ | $7,000 | $28,000 |
| Presidential | 28+ | and 3.75+ | $11,000 | $44,000 |
| Presidential Distinguished | 30+ | and 4.0 | $12,000 | $48,000 |
Priority March 1, or until funds run out; apply early. Source: saumag.edu
John Brown University GPA or test: highest wins
| GPA | or ACT | $/yr | 4-yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.2–3.39 | 21–23 | $6,000 | $24,000 |
| 3.4–3.59 | 24–25 | $7,000 | $28,000 |
| 3.6–3.69 | 26 | $8,000 | $32,000 |
| 3.7–3.79 | 27 | $10,000 | $40,000 |
| 3.8–3.89 | 28 | $12,000 | $48,000 |
| 3.9+ | 29+ | $13,000 | $52,000 |
Bonus: +$2,000 one-time for Academic Challenge recipients; National Merit $17,000. Source: jbu.edu
Harding University
Academic Achievement awards run $7,000–$11,000/yr on a score+GPA formula (no published table). The headline: Trustee Scholar: 31+ ACT / 1390+ SAT with a 3.5 GPA = full undergraduate tuition, and Harding accepts retakes through July after senior year specifically to help you reach it. National Merit Finalists: full tuition + $2,000/yr.
Source: harding.edu
Henderson State GPA-only below the top
Merit tiers are GPA-only ($1,000–$6,000/yr on-campus, no test needed), except the top: Distinguished Freshman (4.0 GPA + 26 ACT) = full tuition + automatic Honors College. Deadline Feb 1.
Source: hsu.edu
Where a retake buys NOTHING (know before you study)
UCA is now GPA-only: Schedler Honors $10,500/yr needs a 3.75 GPA, Achievement $6,500/yr needs a 4.0. No ACT listed on any 2026–27 tier. University of Arkansas (Fayetteville) awards holistically with no published score table (their Honors Academy Connection is one exception: 27+ ACT + need, up to $4,000 one-time). Hendrix gives every accepted student $20,000+/yr holistically; only its competitive Hays full ride has a gate (32 ACT / 1410 SAT + 3.6). At these schools, spend the study hours on GPA and essays instead.
Sources: uca.edu · uark.edu · hendrix.edu
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