When you help as many motivated, authentic, and endearing students as we do in the college admissions process, you can’t help but want to find more ways to support them. Obviously, the best way we educators can support high schoolers is by providing the best test prep, tutoring, and coaching possible. But sometimes you want to do even more.
From that thought arose the Tests and the Rest Counselor Select Scholarship. My podcast partner Amy Seeley and I both wanted to add something new to the constellation of local, national, and organizational awards students contend for and consulted with scholarship expert Monica Matthews on the best way to proceed. We liked our initial idea so much that we extended it to our national professional network to provide a way for students in multiple states to be nominated for the scholarship by their school counselor and apply for it.
As a proud son of the Empire State, I wanted to make sure that students across New York could apply for my scholarship. We received applications from multiple counties in New York, and to avoid bias, we asked Monica to choose each the winners for not just our state but all the participating ones. Quite unexpectedly, this year’s winner came from Allegheny County in New York’s Southern Tier!
Erin S. from Wellsville Secondary School was recommended by her counselor for her mix of academic excellence, exceptional effort, and involvement in a variety of extracurricular activities like cheerleading and International Club. Erin’s essay about growth, self-awareness, and determination further impressed our judge. I speak for the whole Chariot Learning team when I wish Erin tremendous luck at Villa Maria College!
Of course, I’d be remiss if I didn’t point out how exceptional each applicant for the New York Tests and the Rest Counselor Select Scholarship was. Counselors did an exceptional job of identifying and advocating for remarkable teens from their schools. That’s why we’re already planning ways to expand the Counselor Select Scholarship for the graduating class of 2021. We recorded a podcast to review the lessons we learned this year and look forward to many more applicants and awards next year!
Mike Bergin