POSSE Final Round

By: Diana Guerrero

The class of 2017 will be graduating soon, and a few of them may be leaving without the weight of paying for college on their shoulders. Seniors Samuel Ferguson, David Cruz, and Alejandra Olaguez were chosen as finalists and may be receiving a $200,000 dollar scholarship.

At the end of their junior year, the top twenty students, chosen by the counselors, were nominated for the Posse Scholarship. Although twenty students were nominated, it is now down to three.

¨I was alone in my room, while we were in Indianapolis, and I saw that I got a call with an area code from Chicago,” said Olaguez, ¨My heart started racing.¨    

Regardless of having received other acceptance letters from other schools, Cruz has decided to continue with Posse.  

“I see the Posse scholarship as more than just an opportunity for free college tuition. I saw it as an opportunity to understand people from different socioeconomic backgrounds,” said Cruz.

For now, they are just finalist who are still competing with students from other schools.

Only ten students will be selected.  If the scholarship is granted to any of them, they will be going to college out of state. Posse has partner schools; therefore these students had to do some research before signing the Early Decision contract.

Although the scholarship does pay all four years of tuition, the Early Decision contract has to be signed before the final interview, which means it will be mandatory for the student to attend the school if they are granted the Posse Scholarship. For this reason Olaguez recommends underclassmen  do their research before selecting a school.  

Ferguson, Cruz, and Olaguez still have another interview and some big decisions ahead, but they are all honored to have made it this far!