Senior Phillip Antis Accepts a Premier Scholarship at Millsaps College

The Premier Scholarship covers the full cost of tuition and fees at Millsaps. This most competitive scholarship for the most promising students like Phillip gets even better. Premier Scholars are also guaranteed support for an experiential learning opportunity, which can include study abroad, paid internships, paid research assistantships, or a summer stipend to support fellowship programs.”

The selection committee reviewed all the applicants’ general application forms and their two essays, two letters, and portfolios. Then Phillip got the good news that he’d been selected along with 31 other finalists. “We were invited to spend a weekend at Millsaps to participate in auditions (for musicians like me), interviews, and collaborative projects. I had the chance to meet many of the students who applied for the scholarship, and they were all very impressive.” He added, “I am excited about Millsaps because they truly care about each student individually, which you don’t always get at a bigger school. After the scholarship weekend, many [faculty] had already reached out to me personally to tell me about possible research opportunities, summer study programs, and opportunities during the school year that I might be interested in.”

As Phillip describes, “The most exciting part about the Premier Scholarship is the included opportunity for travel to study abroad. Millsaps offers incredible travel abroad opportunities, and I have always wanted to travel around the world, especially to observe and study the music of different countries and cultures.” 

Now in his final semester here, Phillip can look back at how Country Day prepared him to move on to Millsaps. “Country Day helped prepare me for the scholarship selection process in a number of ways. As soon as I let the college counselors know about this scholarship, they made sure I had everything I needed to submit, scheduled practice interviews for me, and gave me tips on how to be successful in the process. Also, the writing skills that Country Day built up in me from a young age helped me write my essays.” 

Phillip continued: “Country Day allows students like myself to pursue all their interests at a high level. I have been able to succeed in accelerated math courses and excel in the performing arts. I played both the violin and sports in a supportive and competitive community while receiving a well-rounded education from Country Day. Being able to do all these things at a high level boosted my application so that it stood out. At other schools, students may not be able to participate in the multitude of activities like my classmates and I did.”

Phillip will surely transition well into Millsaps’s classrooms given his academic excellence. “Country Day has prepared me for my next steps by challenging me in the classroom and the community. By providing college-level courses, I know what to expect and how to handle difficult concepts. In the community, Country Day promotes service and leadership, and I am confident I will carry those traits to Millsaps.”

As he closes one door and opens another, Phillip appreciates the many people who have helped him along his way. “I am very thankful to the college counselors like Ms. Barrilleaux who have helped during the application process. She steered me to schools that would be the best fit for me. She also encouraged me to go after these types of opportunities. I can’t believe my 14+ years at Country Day are almost over!”