Mayor Rahm Emanuel, Chicago Public Schools (CPS) and City Colleges of Chicago (CCC) announced the first informational session for CPS students and parents to learn more about the Chicago Star Scholarship. It will take place at Wells High School (936 N Ashland Ave) on December 18 from 5:30 to 7PM. Last year, 1,500 CPS students met qualifications for college, but did not enroll. The scholarship provides eligible CPS students with a free education at CCC and will help ensure more Chicago Public High School students are able to pursue the dream of college without accumulating burdensome debt.

“College is more important than ever and the Chicago Star Scholarship will guarantee that every qualified CPS student who graduates with a 3.0 or better can attend our community colleges for free,” said Mayor Emanuel. “With this new scholarship, we are telling our students: if you do well in school and keep up your end of the bargain, the cost of college will no longer be an obstacle to receiving a degree.”

The informational sessions will help CPS students and parents determine if they are eligible for the Chicago Star Scholarship and learn more about education at CCC. CPS high school graduates must have a 3.0 GPA or higher, place into college-level math and English, and enroll in one of CCC’s pathways. City Colleges of Chicago representatives will be on hand to provide information about CCC’s seven colleges and their programs, and answer questions about the Chicago Star Scholarship. Following the first meeting at Wells High School, CPS will host two additional meetings in 2015 to reach families across the city.

Through Chicago Star Scholarship, CCC will provide scholarships in the form of tuition, fee and book waivers to qualifying high school graduates, ensuring they can earn their associate degree at City Colleges of Chicago with no out of pocket costs. Students will be required to first complete the FAFSA to apply for financial aid. After application of federal and state financial aid grants, CCC will provide waivers to cover tuition, fees, and books for up to three years.

By starting at CCC, high school students can save significantly on the cost of a bachelor’s degree. Students who complete the first two years of college at one of the seven City Colleges and then transfer to a four-year institution can save up to $40,000 on the cost of a bachelor’s degree. CCC has transfer and articulation agreements with four-year colleges and universities to simplify the transfer process and ensure students maximize their time and money.
For more information, please visit: www.ccc.edu/starscholarship

About City Colleges of Chicago

City Colleges of Chicago (CCC) is the largest community college system in Illinois and one of the largest in the nation with 5,700 faculty and staff serving 115,000 students annually at seven colleges and six satellite sites. The seven colleges include: Richard J. Daley College, Kennedy-King College, Malcolm X College, Olive-Harvey College, Harry S Truman College, Harold Washington College and Wilbur Wright College. City Colleges also oversees: the award-winning Washburne Culinary & Hospitality Institute, the French Pastry School, the Parrot Cage Restaurant at South Shore Cultural Center, the Sikia Banquet Facility, five Child Development Centers, the Workforce Academy, the public broadcast station WYCC-TV Channel 20 and radio station WKKC-FM 89.3.

Under the leadership of Mayor Emanuel and Chancellor Cheryl Hyman, the City Colleges of Chicago is in the midst of a Reinvention, a collaborative effort to review and revise CCC programs and practices to ensure students leave CCC college-ready, career-ready and prepared to pursue their life's goals. Since the launch of Reinvention, City Colleges has awarded the highest number of degrees in its history and nearly doubled the graduation rate.

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