Collegiate Scholars Program
Founded in 2003 and operated through the University of Chicago's Office of Civic Engagement, the Collegiate Scholars Program (CSP) is a three year program designed to encourage high achieving and underrepresented Chicago Public Schools students to apply to and succeed at highly selective colleges and universities.
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CSP is shaped around a core curriculum of humanities, social science, math, and science courses.
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During the summer months, scholars are taught by University of Chicago faculty and PhD candidates.
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Enrichment activities during the academic year are geared toward college readiness, leadership development, civic engagement and cultural exploration.
In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the University of Chicago Collegiate Scholars Program (CSP) has postponed the admissions and recruitment process for the Class of 2024 (current 9th grade students). CSP will resume the recruitment process for interested 9th and 10th grade students in Chicago Public Schools during the 2021-2022 academic year, and the application will be posted on our website in the fall of 2021. We thank you for your patience and understanding during this time, and encourage you to contact us if you have any questions. We can be reached by emailing uccsp@uchicago.edu.
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Scholars
How to Get Involved
There are many ways to get involved in helping Chicago Public Schools students find success through the University of Chicago Collegiate Scholars Program.Profiles
Asara Milton
Collegiate Scholars Program
Asara Milton says the Collegiate Scholars Program, which helped facilitate the Posse Scholarship that will cover her full tuition at Cornell, gave her the confidence she’ll need to thrive on an elite college campus.
Isaaq Khader
Collegiate Scholars Program
“I feel like CSP gave me a cheat sheet for college. Now I know how to take advantage of all the resources, I know that you have to get to classes on time, and that it’s always a good idea to talk with the TAs and go to profs’ office hours.”
Marcus Russell
Collegiate Scholars Program
Even as the COVID-19 pandemic kept them apart physically, Jones College Prep High School senior Marcus Russell and the diverse, close-knit network of peers he met through University of Chicago’s Co...
Nneka Jones
Collegiate Scholars Program
“I think the number one aspect for me was the support. I gained a network of faculty, staff, administrators, and like-minded students who weren’t afraid to think critically and really learn. Early exposure to that was essential to my success — and my experience in diverse classrooms prepared me to have deeper conversations with professors and fellow students than what my peers were ready for. That’s a skill I’ll take through undergrad and graduate school.”
Raven Galloway
Collegiate Scholars Program
“All of us in CSP matured during the program and were more prepared for college because of it.”
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