Collegiate Scholars heading to top schools

Members of the third graduating class of the Collegiate Scholars Program are headed next fall to some of the best colleges in the country.

“The Class of 2008 has worked really hard, and the proof is in the list of colleges they have been accepted to,” said Kim Ransom, Director of the Collegiate Scholars Program.

The 44 Chicago Public Schools seniors have been accepted to undergraduate programs at Chicago and other top schools across the country, including New York University, Northwestern University, the University of California at Los Angeles, Dartmouth College, Georgetown University, Yale University, Duke University, the University of Notre Dame, Brown University, Harvard University and Stanford University.

“Our students will be attending some of the best colleges in the world,” Ransom said. “The knowledge and experiences they gain at these institutions will prepare them to join the ranks of the next generation of leaders. I am also confident they will give back to their communities in a meaningful way.”

Established in 2003 for Chicago Public Schools students, the Collegiate Scholars Program receives more than 600 applications annually from high school ninth-graders. About 50 students from each sophomore, junior and senior class are accepted into the program.

Of the 149 current Collegiate Scholars, about 43 percent are African American, 23 percent Hispanic, 17 percent Caucasian and 10 percent Asian American. Total enrollment is about 44 percent male and 55 percent female and represents 41 Chicago Public Schools.

“Our mission is to inspire students in Chicago Public Schools to reach their full potential, gaining admission to highly selective colleges and enrolling in colleges that meet their academic prowess,” Ransom said. “The students in CPS are but a reflection of what the young people of Chicago can achieve. We want the success of our students to be infectious throughout Chicago Public Schools.”

A graduation celebration for the Class of 2008 will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday, May 19 at International House.

“It is so rewarding to watch our third class graduate,” Ransom said. “It’s incredible to watch them grow and succeed year after year.”

Additional information is available at http://collegiatescholars.uchicago.edu.