Chicago Scholars’ 2023 Onsite College and Leadership Forum Facilitated $12,467,000 in Scholarships and 244 College Admissions Granted to 600 Chicago High School Seniors
600 under-resourced and first-generation students interviewed with the most selective colleges and universities in the United States, offering on-the-spot admissions and scholarships
CHICAGO - On Tuesday, Oct. 24, 600 of Chicago’s most academically ambitious high school students from under-resourced communities gathered at Navy Pier’s Festival Hall for a mass college interview day unlike any other - the Chicago Scholars’ Onsite College and Leadership Forum. This year’s event could not have been a bigger success, as $12,467,000 in scholarships and 247 college admissions were granted to students from 127 of the country’s most selective colleges and universities in attendance.
Participating scholars were among some of the first students in the 2024 graduating class to receive admissions offers in the nation this school year. Each student selected to be a Chicago Scholar and attend Onsite applied to five of the attending colleges prior to the event and interviewed with each of the universities in-person during the event that day. Students took part in a total of 3,100 one-on-one interviews throughout the day, with many colleges making their decisions during the interview, where students were able to share their story and explain what attending college means to them.
This year, supporters and sponsors started the day with the Seeing Is Believing Experiential Breakfast, which engaged in the state of access to higher education before programming and interviews began. Programming centered around the recent Supreme Court decision to overturn Affirmative Action, the $10,000 government student debt aid grant, as well as Chicago Scholars’ plans to support its Scholars during this unprecedented time in higher education. Panelists included Sarah Karp, education reporter at WBEZ; Caleb Dunson, a senior at Yale majoring in Political Science and Economics, and a Chicago Scholar from the class of 2024. Kiely Fletcher, Vice Provost for Enrollment Management on the UIC SCOTUS Task Force; and was moderated by Sasha-Ann Simons, host of WBEZ’s Reset.
“Chicago Scholars is thrilled to have hosted another successful Onsite, where many students had an unclear vision of their path to college were able to share their stories directly with college admissions representatives, and many of our scholars walked away with offers of admission,” said Jeffery Beckham Jr., CEO of Chicago Scholars. “Mere months after Affirmative Action was overturned, our goal is to ensure first generation students maintain their access to higher education pursuits. It's incredible to watch the hard work pay off for these talented, determined students as their dreams come true.”
Students who attended this year’s Onsite were selected during their junior year of high school and began working with Chicago Scholars’ college counselors in Spring 2023 to identify the institutions that would be the best fit for their needs. Once target colleges and universities were identified, counselors and Scholars developed application strategies well in advance of their peers, with submissions completed in September. They continued working closely in the weeks leading up to the event practicing interview techniques, best practices and more to ensure success during this life-changing day.
Applications for Chicago Scholars open annually in December and are open to high school juniors who live in Chicago and attend a Chicago high school. Scholars are selected each year from these applications and an interview process. Many Chicago Scholars are academically ambitious, first-generation college students from under-resourced communities. To learn more about Chicago Scholars, please visit: www.chicagoscholars.org.
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