Selection Process

Through partnerships with public high schools, students in their freshman year are eligible to apply to the Scholar Program.  Eligibility requirements include: minimum g.p.a (varies by school but typically students must fall within the top 10% of the class), a commitment to taking 4 years of core academic classes (including a foreign language) and enrollment in honors and AP classes. The rigorous selection process consists of a careful review of students’ academic record, curriculum, class rank, testing history, teacher recommendations, and personal statement. Both parents and students are interviewed in order to confirm support of and commitment to the rigorous program. The criteria used to evaluate qualified applicants includes:  academic ability, the need for guidance, motivation, character, educational plans, and financial need.  The goal of this process is to select high achieving students who need additional guidance and preparation to gain access to and graduate from selective colleges and universities.  

PROGRAMS

Academic Preparation: Schuler program staff work closely with partner school guidance counselors to ensure that scholars receive comprehensive academic counseling support. Each scholar is assigned a Schuler Educational Counselor.  The Schuler Counselors monitor scholar grades and course selections and maintain regular communication with scholars and their families.  Counselors provide subject specific tutoring and participate in after-school enrichment programs aimed at improving creative and academic writing skills.  Additionally, beginning sophomore year, each scholar participates in the Schuler Reading Improvement Program, the goal of which is to improve the reading fluency, comprehension and vocabulary skills of scholars so that they are successful reading the high volume of material assigned in college and become life-long readers.

College Counseling: Schuler college counselors and program staff provide extensive college counseling services to scholars and their families.  In an effort to expose scholars and parents to selective colleges, Scholars tour nearby selective colleges starting their sophomore year.  During the following summer, every scholar is required to attend a 2-4 week summer program at a selective college.  Schuler college counselors meet with each junior scholar and family to identify schools that best match the scholar’s interests and academic ability. During junior year all scholars enroll in an 8 week ACT/SAT test prep course.  Schuler staff continues to take scholars and parents on college trips throughout their junior and senior year, as well as spring and summer breaks. In addition, the college counseling staff facilitates sessions on the financial aid process and the transition to university life.  The SSP collaborates with the admissions offices of selective colleges and universities that are interested in enrolling Schuler Scholars in summer and undergraduate programs.

Leadership and Personal Development: The goals of this program area are to help scholars better understand their strengths and developmental opportunities, develop/broaden a variety of skill sets, apply leadership skills in real world scenarios, act upon what they have experienced in the Scholar Program, and work to their fullest potential. During the summer after freshman year all scholars spend 10 days in the northern woods of Wisconsin at Camp Manito-wish.  The first five days of camp focus on collaborative leadership while the next 5 days spent canoeing and camping put to use the skills developed during the in-camp session.  Through a partnership with Destination ImagiNation, Inc., the world’s largest creativity and problem solving organization, scholars learn the process, art, and skill associated with problem solving.  Scholars also participate in programs focused on personal development planning, ethics, and conflict resolution.

Exposure:   The Schuler Scholar Program provides scholars cultural, civic and social experiences to which they might not otherwise have access.  Scholars visit museums, attend the symphony, opera, plays and musicals, travel abroad, visit college campuses, and interact with local, state and national civic leaders. 

Scholarship:   Once in college, scholars receive $5000 per year for a total scholarship award of $20,000. College scholars must remain in good standing with their institutions in order to maintain the scholarship. During college, scholars are expected to give back to the Scholar Program by serving on panels and assisting high school scholars with college and career decisions.