About
Chicago Scholars selects, trains, and mentors academically ambitious students from under-resourced communities to enroll in, persist through, and graduate from college. Chicago Scholars provides seven years of programming, beginning with supporting students with enrolling in the most selective colleges that best match their abilities and needs and continue as students persist through college and beyond. Through its programming, Chicago Scholars aspires to develop the next generation of leaders who will transform their neighborhoods and the city of Chicago.
Grantee Performance
Why We Invested
Chicago Scholars provides high-achieving students from low-income backgrounds with development opportunities and mentoring to support them through critical transitions on the path from high school to college to career. Over the last three years, more than 90 percent of Chicago Scholars students enrolled in a four-year university, greater than 90 percent of enrollees persisted, and over 70 percent earned a bachelor’s degree within six years, a rate far surpassing that of their peers with similar academic credentials and socio-economic backgrounds.
Looking Ahead
A Better Chicago has been consistently compelled by Chicago Scholars’ strong student outcomes and ambitious vision for growth. In 2019, Chicago Scholars embarked on a comprehensive strategic planning process and will continue to advance key strategic priorities, such as strengthening partnerships with colleges and employers; embedding diversity, equity and inclusion practices into its model; strengthening data systems and analytics, and developing digital student tools. Chicago Scholars is partnering with Chapin Hall at the University of Chicago to evaluate the Chicago Scholars program as part of a randomized controlled trial (RCT).