Four years ago on May 1, First Lady Michelle Obama launched National Signing Day to celebrate high school seniors who are heading to college. Today, iMentor is celebrating our many seniors who have successfully navigated the college application process and have committed to a school for fall of 2019.
Below are a sample of iMentor seniors from across the country who will be enrolling in college this fall. Congratulations to all the seniors who worked so hard this year!
Madeline, a student at Union Square Academy for Health Sciences in New York City, was accepted into at least six schools and plans to attend John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York City because it offers the academic rigor she desires and also would enable her to stay at home. Madi at times has questions whether even to go to college, as she felt discouraged despite being a very competitive student. She spent a lot of time this year talking with her mentor about her concerns and about the doors that college can open up in the long term.
Chris, a student at Crane Medical Preparatory High School in Chicago, will attend Bradley University in Peoria, Ill. this fall. His mentor, Jon, gave Chris this shirt to celebrate Chris’s commitment to Bradley. Chris is excited about Bradley because the school has one of the top 50 game design programs in the country. Jon has been helpful in considering the challenges and changes that college will bring. The hardest thing about choosing a school, said Chris, was determining cost and distance away from home.
Leonna, a student at the International High School at Layfette in Brooklyn, NY, will attend Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City. She received offers of admission from six CUNY schools, two SUNY schools, The New School Eugene Lang, and Johnson and Wales. At first, Leonna preferred the New School, but soon realized she could afford to attend FIT if she lived with her parents. Her mentor, Rebecca, helped Leonna assess her financial options and showed her how FIT was a strong option for her academic needs. Leonna is interested in the entrepreneurship and advertising and marketing communications programs.
Andrew at Chicago Military Academy at Bronzeville in Chicago was accepted to 17 schools and has chosen to attend Bradley University in Peoria, Ill. Andrew chose Bradley because of the school’s campus and gaming design program. He is excited to live on his own in a new place. Andrew’s mentor, John, helped him decide on Bradley by using an excel sheet that included all the fit factors. They also talked through the options to ensure Andrew made the right decision.
Leovia from James Lick High School in San Jose, Calif. will attend Foothill College in Los Altos Hills, Calif. She was admitted by schools including Sacramento State University and San Jose State University. Leovia, pictured here with her mentor Djuna, is excited because she will be the first one in her family to go to college and plans to pave the way for others in her family. Leovia wants to study kinesiology.
Jordan from New York City was admitted by 15 schools and is currently weighing his options. His mentor, Doug, helped him stay organized with a spreadsheet of all the schools he applied to and has even helped Jordan call schools for updates and to advocate for financial aid.
Milagros from North Grand High School in Chicago will attend Augustana College in Rock Island, Ill. Milagros was accepted by five schools and chose Augustana College because of the financial aid package, the school’s distance to Chicago, and because "it felt like home when I visited campus," she said. Milagros’ mentor supported her throughout the process and attended the Chicago Scholars on-site day of college admissions interviews. Milagros said that her mentor "kept me accountable" and "didn’t let me forget anything." Milagros wants to study pre-law in college.
Julie at Chicago Military Academy at Bronzeville in Chicago has chosen to go to Knox College in Galesburg, Ill. She selected Knox over the nine other schools that offered her admission because of its small campus, focus on instilling academic inquisitiveness, and international relations program. Sonia, Julie’s mentor, supported her in the decision-making process by discussing with her the pros and cons of every school. Julie had many great options to choose from, and in the end, picked the school where she felt most at home.
Marcos from James Lick High School in San Jose, Calif. will attend San Jose City College. Marcos, pictured here with his mentor Rob, wants to study history and is excited because he is one step closer to reaching his goal of graduating from college.
Amber from James Lick High School in San Jose, Calif. will attend Evergreen Valley College, also in San Jose. Amber, here with her mentor Leslie, plans on majoring in either art and/or math.
Tatiyanna at Chicago Military Academy at Bronzeville in Chicago has committed to Western Illinois University in Macomb, Ill. Tatiyanna chose Western out of the 10 schools to which she was accepted because of the school’s criminal justice program. Emma, her mentor, supported Tatiyanna by exploring her financial options and by helping her visualize herself on campus. Tatiyanna is excited to not only to start this new journey on her own, but also to go to Western with her good friend Krystal.
