Scholar Quotes
Read some of the reactions to our programming from our class of 2015 below. No need to take our word for it, read what the students themselves have to say about their Chicago Scholars experience!
Monday, March 14th
Janetta Lumpkin-Bradley
New Millenium School of Health
"Chicago Scholars is an excellent atmosphere to be around. It's a promising program that prevented me from being overwhelmed by providing with all the support i needed. It is a second family that supports me and cares about who I am inside. This program has led me toward my dreams."
Monday, March 7th
Fatima Jallow
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Rauner College Prep
"It is a great benefit being a Chicago Scholar because I have the generous support of mentors, counselors, and peers to ensure that I will succeed in college."
Victor Sanchez
Milikin University
Rauner College Prep
"The Chicago Scholars program goes way beyond than just applying to college-It's a program where scholars are supported through every procedure and essentially create this bond with one another!"
Vandita Bhatt
Lake Forest College
William H. Taft High School
"Chicago Scholars has always been there for me when I needed help. The program prepared me to do well for college interviews and made me more confident. Im so glad I'm a part of it!"
Noe Huerta
DePaul University
Amundsen High School
"Chicago Scholars has opened doors to a paradise full of wonders and achievements."
Dominique Casey
George Washington High School
"Chicago Scholars is work that is well worth facing. It is an ultimate stress reliever going into your senior year!"
Maya Wilson
University of Maryland
Jones Magnet High School
"Chicago Scholars has really kept me focused and on track with with entire college process. Whether it was the search, selection, application process, or understanding the material, they've been there every step of the way."
Chamelia Moore
Syracuse University
Dusable High School
"Chicago Scholars has prepared me to take on the college application process in confidence, comfort, and surprisingly, enjoyment. There are so many kind and helpful minds available as resources, as they give awesome advice and provide the best cake."
Monday, February 28th
Arlevea Freeman
Wesleyan University
Morgan Park High School
"Chicago Scholars motivated me to dedicate myself to attending the college of my dreams, and to never give up on my search to pay for it."
Hannah Charles
Chicago High School for Agricultural Sciences
"Chicago Scholars was just the program I needed to start off my college applications and decisions!"
Matt Stanton
Dartmouth College
Whitney Young Magnet High School
"Chicago Scholars made the college process go from intimidating, stressful and challenging to enjoyable, quick and easy."
Mariah Sutton
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Morgan Park High School
"Chicago Scholars is for anyone who wants a smooth, supportive, and efficient college application process. I don't know how I would have survived the college application process without them!"
Shawn Williams
Chicago Military Academy - Bronzeville
"I've always been a successful and strong student, but the most stressful thing to as a student is prepare college applications. With Chicago Scholars, my life was so much easier. I owe them a lot."
Datrese Hearn
Western Illinois University
John Marshall Metro High School
"Chicago Scholars helped me find a college that I can benefit from and call my second home."
Petrina Lefaire
John Hopkins University
Northside College Prep High School
"Chicago Scholars has been a great tool in helping me stay ahead of the college application process. It has helped me prepare for all the obstacle that appeared while applying to college and it has acted as a support group to help me get into college."
Daniela Fernandez
George Washington University
Lincoln Park High School
"If it wasn't for Chicago Scholars, I don't know how I would have been able to survive the college application process. My mentors, the workshops that I attended and ultimately the support system that I recieved from Chicago Scholars, helped me to achieve one of the most important goals of my life: Getting into college."
Monday, February 22nd
Latrice Lawal
University of Iowa
Sullivan High School
"Chicago Scholars had made the idea 'the early bird gets the worm' a positive reality; It has instilled in me hardwork and perseverence for the rest of my life."
Jasmine Young
Elmhurst College
Michele Clark Magnet School
"Chicago Scholars is a really great program. The staff is so caring and were always there to help."
Katie Villagomez
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Phoenix Military Academy
"Chicago Scholars really helped me take the pressure off applying to college with the Onsite. The Onsite is the best thing that happened to me as I was applying to college, I was able to talk with the admission officers at the schools I applied to and that definitely added a personal touch to my application. The staff and workshops were very helpful and great motivation to keep me going!"
Jazmin Branch
Washington University
Morgan Park Academy
"The college process is no joke but with Chicago Scholars I felt like I had wiggle room to laugh a little. I was one of the few students at my school with applications complete in september/october!"
Vera Iwankiw
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Northside College Prep High School
"Chicago Scholars helped personalize my college application process. I always had them as a resource to help me."
Ulises Duran
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
St. Ignatius College Prep High School
"Chicago Scholars has become like a family to me. Mentors become like your parents and the other scholars become like your brothers and sisters. I have recieved a lot of support from Chicago Scholars and with it I have been able to grow and accomplish a lot more than I would have alone."
Mercedes Talbert
Western Illinois University
Martin Luther King Jr. High School
"Chicago Scholars helped me get ahead in my college search. They helped me accomplish a goal."
Jacquez Griffin
St. Augustine - North Carolina
Hope College Prep High School
"I remember when Karen Foley told me 'You will succeed!' at orientation. I felt like she gave me the keys to my future that day."
Thursday, February 10th
Kathryn Todd
Lake Forest College
Daniel Hale Williams Prep School of Medicine
"Chicago Scholars has truly changed my life. I would not have finished all of my college applications on time without the Chicago Scholars deadlines and the support of my mentor."
Janet Sanchez
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Lane Techincal High School
"Chicago Scholars not only guided me through the college process, but by the time school started, I had already finished my college applications,. I was ahead of all my other classmates."
Timothy Ward
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Prosser Career Academy
"Chicago Scholars helped me get into all the colleges of my choice with scholarship offers."
Jezebel Guerrero
University of Iowa
Phoenix Military Academy
"The Onsite program is the best! You get to talk to the School Admissions people face to face and might even get acceptances right then and there. It really took off the edge of waiting for their reply in the mail."
Sara Ali
University of Illinois at Chicago
Mather High School
"Being a Chicago Scholar has been an honor to me, because when I was applying to colleges, I had no idea how to navigate the college application process. Chicago Scholars was always there for me whenever I needed help whether it was with colleges or scholarships. To me, the Chicago Scholars LAUNCH Program is like a part of my family who will always be there to help me and will always be recognized as my true heroes. I would totally recommend students to join this program, because it will always be a program who will influence you to have a brighter future and help you succeed in life."
Jasmine Bailey
Knox College
Hyde Park Academy
"Chicago Scholars' Onsite Forum was the greatest experience ever. Personal interviews without the hassle of traveling are definitely a plus."
Sabrina Scholtes
Lake View High School
"Chicago Scholars helped me with getting into college and prepared me to finish college."
Maria Vela
Northwestern University
LVLHS - Infinity High School
"Chicago Scholars has definitely been one of the most beneficial programs ever becuase they know getting into college is important, and getting college applications ready before school commences really takes pressure off of one's shoulders."
Tuesday, February 8th
Brittany Kendrick
St. Louis University
Chicago High School for Agricultural Sciences
"Chicago Scholars greatly advanced my preparation and knowledge for the next step in higher education."
Dilara Akgunduz
Carleton College
Latin School of Chicago
"The Onsite is extremely nerve-wracking, but terrifically rewarding. After talking to a majority of the colleges on your list, I have a better idea of my future and the college process."
Amber Fredricks
University of Illinois at Chicago
Whitney Young High School
"Honestly, if you want to be ahead of the game, become a Chicago Scholar and participate in the Onsite. You'll be recieving letters the same time your friends are starting their applications!"
Randall Suvanto
Lake Forest College
William H. Taft High School
"The mentors from Lanch stood by my side for every step of the application process and even for financial aid help. Without this program's motivation I probably would have missed out on many opportunities that I have taken advantage of."
Monday, February 7th
Jesenia Avelar
Farragut Career Academy
"Chicago Scholars helped me get into colleges that I wanted and they also helped me prepare for them."
Jennie Gauthier
Swarthmore College
Hyde Park Academy
"Chicago Scholars is such an amazing program. The application and financial aid processes became so much easier through the help of our mentors and workshops."
Tramell Moore
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Manley Career Academy High School
"Before my senior year had started, I already completed my college applications thanks to Chicago Scholars. Unlike my peers, I didn't have the stress of deadlines and carrying the course load."
Fabian Young
University of Minnesota Twin Cities
Al Raby High School
"With respect to my individual determination and hard work, Chicago Scholars has brought about many opportunities I could have only imagined. As I reminisce upon my life in forthcoming years, I know that my invaluable experience as a Chicago Scholar is something I willl neither forget nor regret."