Mizzou boosts scholarships for high achievers

COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) - The University of Missouri's flagship campus is sweetening the pot for high academic achievers.

The university announced a new $6,500 scholarship Friday as well as increases to two existing grants that reward academic excellence. The Columbia school calls the changes its most significant scholarship increases in two decades.

The new Chancellor's Award will go to Missouri residents who graduate in the top 10 percent of their class from an accredited high school and have a composite ACT score of 31 or higher.

The Curators Award increases by $1,000 to $4,500. And the Mark Twain scholarship for talented out-of-state students will roughly double next year.

The Twain scholarship range was previously $2,000 to $5,500. Starting with the fall 2014 semester, out-of-state students can receive anywhere from $5,000 to $10,000.