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The application for the Class of 2031Ìýis now open! Ìý

º£½ÇÂÒÂ×ÉçÇø is looking for:

• Juniors in high school

• Students who live and attend high school in Chicago

• Students who will be a first-generation college student (neither parent graduated from a four-year college in the United States) and/or students who come from a low-income household

• Students who are academically ambitious, motivated, and believe in the possibility of their unique superpowers

• Students who are demonstrated leaders in their schools, communities, or homes

• Students who are committed to furthering their education and have a strong desire to attend a 4-year college

• Mature students who can fully commit to a rigorous academic and leadership development program

• Students with a minimum GPA of 3.0

*If you are a student with an academic profile that does not meet these criteria and would like to apply, we will provide a space for you to show an upward trajectory in your academic performance.

The online application will ask a student to submit the following:

• Basic personal informationÌý

• Academic profile information, including GPA, test scores, and a transcript uploaded by your high school counselor

• 1 letter of recommendationÌý

• Information about your involvement in leadership and extracurricular activities

• 1 short answer essay and 1 personal narrative essay

• Household informationÌý

The deadline to apply for the º£½ÇÂÒÂ×ÉçÇø Class of 2031Ìýis Wednesday, February 4, 2026, at 11:59 PM CST.

º£½ÇÂÒÂ×ÉçÇø Virtual (CSV) is a new, fully remote, and asynchronous version of º£½ÇÂÒÂ×ÉçÇø Classic, our traditional program. That means that you can access all the learning and information of º£½ÇÂÒÂ×ÉçÇø Classic anywhere, anytime through REACH, a web app owned by º£½ÇÂÒÂ×ÉçÇø.

This might be a good option for you if:

Your schedule changes a lot, like if you have an unpredictable work schedule or often have family responsibilities pop up at the last minute

You live or go to school far away from the Loop and are worried that you might not be able to attend workshops in person

You have a lot of commitments and want to be able to move through your college and career journey when you have free time

You learn best when you can move at your own pace, repeat lessons, and take breaks whenever you need them

CSV Scholars are part of the Class of 2031 just like their in-person peers.

It’s important to know that º£½ÇÂÒÂ×ÉçÇø Virtual is not exactly like the in-person º£½ÇÂÒÂ×ÉçÇø program. CSV Scholars will not:

• Attend the Onsite College and Leadership Forum
• Have cohorts or mentors
• Attend orientation, workshops, or interview and writing labs in person
• Have a º£½ÇÂÒÂ×ÉçÇø college counselor

CSV Scholars will be able to take advantage of other º£½ÇÂÒÂ×ÉçÇø resources, including:

• College application support and career and leadership development opportunities
• º£½ÇÂÒÂ×ÉçÇø’ exclusive, in-person College Fair
• º£½ÇÂÒÂ×ÉçÇø’ exclusive scholarships and internship job board
• Virtual scholarship, college, and internship information sessions
• Access to emergency funds and leadership development funds in college
• Full college partner benefits

Again, the 375 º£½ÇÂÒÂ×ÉçÇø Virtual slots are in addition to the 500-600 seats in the º£½ÇÂÒÂ×ÉçÇø Classic program. That means there are more opportunities to join the º£½ÇÂÒÂ×ÉçÇø community than ever before!

To be considered for CSV, complete the º£½ÇÂÒÂ×ÉçÇø application for the Class of 2031. If you are selected for an interview, you will have the chance to let us know whether you prefer the in-person or virtual version of the program.

º£½ÇÂÒÂ×ÉçÇø Classic (CSC) is the traditional version of º£½ÇÂÒÂ×ÉçÇø. CSC Scholars will be assigned a cohort and mentor, receive personalized college counseling, and attend in-person programming like workshops, interview and writing labs, the Onsite College and Leadership Program, College Fair, and New Scholar Orientation.

Yes, students interested in º£½ÇÂÒÂ×ÉçÇø Virtual must go through the same application process as students interested in º£½ÇÂÒÂ×ÉçÇø Classic.ÌýThe application is the same for both versions of the program. If you are invited to interview, you will be asked to let us know what version of the program you prefer.Ìý

Please note that we cannot guarantee placement in either version of the program.

To apply for º£½ÇÂÒÂ×ÉçÇø Virtual, you must complete the The deadline to apply is February 4, 2026.

After the deadline, º£½ÇÂÒÂ×ÉçÇø staff will review all applications and determine who to invite for an interview. If you are invited to interview, you will be asked to rank your preference for º£½ÇÂÒÂ×ÉçÇø Virtual or º£½ÇÂÒÂ×ÉçÇø Classic.Ìý

The priority deadline is an early deadline that will allow applicants who meet all our stated requirements to receive a guaranteed interview for the second phase of our application process. This is a big deal, as only a select number of students will advance to this phase.ÌýÌý

This year’s priority deadline is Wednesday, January 21st, 2026, at 11:59pm CST.ÌýÌý

Note: If you choose to apply by the priority deadline, your counselor and recommender will still have until the standard deadline to submit your transcript and letter of recommendation.ÌýÌýÌý

º£½ÇÂÒÂ×ÉçÇø staff members take a big-picture approach to reviewing applications. We’re looking for students who are committed to their postsecondary success and will demonstrate their commitment through full participation in our program. As we read applications, we give careful consideration not just to a student’s academic profile, but also to his/her/their character, leadership qualities, academic goals, and potential contributions to the º£½ÇÂÒÂ×ÉçÇø community.

Here’s what happens after your application is submitted:Ìý

• February: º£½ÇÂÒÂ×ÉçÇø staff review all submitted applications and convene to select students to move to the interview stage.Ìý

• March: Invitations are sent to students for the second phase of the process, a required interview. Students who are not invited to the next stage will also receive communications from º£½ÇÂÒÂ×ÉçÇø with information about other resources that may be helpful to them.Ìý

• April: Required interviews are conducted for prospective Scholars by º£½ÇÂÒÂ×ÉçÇø partners, alumni, staff, and volunteers.Ìý

• May: Final decisions are sent to students who have been accepted to the º£½ÇÂÒÂ×ÉçÇø class. Accepted students then begin the enrollment process. Students who are not admitted to the program are also notified.Ìý

• June: Enrolled Scholars will kick off their º£½ÇÂÒÂ×ÉçÇø journey by attending our New Scholar Orientation.

• July and onward: Scholars begin to participate in the º£½ÇÂÒÂ×ÉçÇø programming, including attending monthly workshops, college counseling sessions, meetings with mentors, starting the process of applying to college, and more.Ìý

If you experience any technological issues while completing your application, please email the Community Engagement Team directly at join@chicagoscholars.org with a detailed description or error message that you are receiving (a screenshot helps!) so we can assist as soon as possible.

No, once you submit your application, you are unable to go back and change any of the information included. If you inaccurately reported information, or if you feel there is an essential component of your application that must be updated, please contact the Community Engagement Team at join@chicagoscholars.org

Once a recommendation request has been entered through our online application portal, the identified recommender is responsible for submitting the recommendation, on the applicant’s behalf, to º£½ÇÂÒÂ×ÉçÇø. All letters of recommendations should be submitted electronically, by the recommender, via the unique link shared within them via email.ÌýÌý

Note: Recommendation requests will be sent to all identified recommenders beginning Thursday, January 15th, 2026.Ìý

Once your letter of recommendation has been submitted, both you and your recommender will receive a confirmation email stating that we received the letter of recommendation. However, please know that students will not have access to view the letter of recommendation or its contents.

Letters of recommendation are due by Thursday, February 5th, 2026.

º£½ÇÂÒÂ×ÉçÇø does not evaluate or use standardized test scores to determine program eligibility or fit. Test scores are used as a supplemental resource to help inform our team on how we may be able to support and coach a student through their college access journey.Ìý

Yes! Students who are non-US citizens are definitely encouraged to apply for the º£½ÇÂÒÂ×ÉçÇø program. Our college counseling team is trained to work with students to identify colleges that will best support them through their undergraduate experience.

Once a transcript request has been entered through our online application portal, the identified counselor is responsible for submitting the transcript, on the applicant’s behalf, to º£½ÇÂÒÂ×ÉçÇø. All transcripts should be submitted electronically, by the counselor, via the unique link shared within them via email.ÌýÌý

Note: Transcript requests will be sent to all identified counselors beginning Thursday, January 15th, 2026, and are due by Wednesday, February 4th, 2026. Ìý

When reviewing applications, we consider many aspects of students’ academic profile. We understand there are a multitude of reasons why a student may have a GPA that falls below our academic threshold. Test scores are only used to supplement a student’s academic profile. If in doubt, you may contact the º£½ÇÂÒÂ×ÉçÇø Community Engagement Team directly at join@chicagoscholars.org to discuss any concerns.

The interest form is intended for students who are not yet high school juniors but would like to be reminded when the application opens for future classes. Filling out the interest form has no impact on your chances of being selected as a Scholar and it does not count as an application.

The application is intended for people who are in their junior year of high school during the application year. It asks for more personal information, essays, transcripts, and letters of recommendation.Ìý

In March, students will be notified by email if their application was moved on to the interview stage. All interview details, including the date, time, and location of the assigned interview will be outlined in the invitation.

Currently, the required interview phase of our application process is hybrid, with some sessions happening over Zoom and others in person. Prospective Scholars will be made aware of any changes to this process.

• Dress to impress! Business casual attire is a must for your interview. You want to look and feel professional.ÌýÌý

• Practice with someone. Ask a parent, teacher, mentor or friend to ask you some sample interview questions and give you feedback on your responses, including your volume, tone, and pace.Ìý

• Be confident! If you got an interview, your application was compelling.Ìý

• Plan ahead. If your interview is in person, double check the address and figure out your travel plans. Make sure you leave yourself enough time to arrive, get settled, take a breath, and do any last-minute prep before your interview time.Ìý

You will be interviewed by 1-2 adults. They will ask you questions about yourself, your goals for the future, and how º£½ÇÂÒÂ×ÉçÇø can assist you in your journey.

After NSSD, interview scores are compiled with your application. Then, the whole package is reviewed by our Program Team. Applicants who are accepted to our program will be notified in early May.

º£½ÇÂÒÂ×ÉçÇø partners with each Scholar to build a path to the future they want for themselves. As a high school senior participating in the º£½ÇÂÒÂ×ÉçÇø program, you’ll be expected to complete the following:Ìý

• College Access Workshops: Workshops are held for an hour and a half each month at the º£½ÇÂÒÂ×ÉçÇø office. Workshops are designed to bring Scholars together in community with other Scholars and mentors and learn critical information about the college application process, financial aid process, and to sharpen your leadership development skills.Ìý

• 1:1 College Counseling: College counseling sessions take place virtually or at the º£½ÇÂÒÂ×ÉçÇø office for one hour nearly every month. These sessions allow students to meet with their college counselor to discuss and implement their postsecondary plan. Some of these sessions will also require a parent or family member to be present to ensure they are looped in and informed of your plan.ÌýÌý

• Mentor Check-Ins: Mentors are volunteers who have committed to working with students through their college application, selection process, and help support their leadership development. Often, mentors will arrange social activities and smaller work sessions for their Scholars to provide them with individualized attention and support.Ìý

Scholars also participate in other required events geared towards their college success, such as the Scholars College Fair, Onsite College and Leadership Forum, College Choice Activities, and more.Ìý

º£½ÇÂÒÂ×ÉçÇø creates a seven-year relationship with students that extends beyond the last year of high school. Once you select and enroll in your college, º£½ÇÂÒÂ×ÉçÇø will continue to support you through your undergraduate experience. Scholars receive a College Success Team staff member who works to connect them with support resources on campus, assist them in understanding financial aid, and ensure that Scholars are adjusting to the academic and social atmosphere on their campus. Our support also ensures that students are taking advantage of internship and job opportunities to gain experience in their desired career field. Once a Scholar graduates from college, Scholars join a growing Alumni community of leaders in Chicago and all over the country.

º£½ÇÂÒÂ×ÉçÇø does not award financial scholarships to Scholars. Instead, we assist Scholars with the process of applying to scholarships as a supplement to any financial aid awards/grants/loans they may receive directly from colleges. We also have over 10+ internal scholarships that are exclusively available for our Scholars to apply to for a variety of interests, career fields, and ethnic backgrounds.ÌýÌý

Additionally, our College Platinum Partners share our mission and are dedicated to supporting our Scholars with financial support, strong academic advising, and leadership opportunities as Scholars enroll, persist, and graduate from college. Platinum Partners have pledged to provide º£½ÇÂÒÂ×ÉçÇø with full demonstrated financial need through graduation. This includes funding support to visit campuses even before committing to attend, on-campus liaisons, and access and encouragement to become involved in campus leadership initiatives once accepted.Ìý