ARE YOUR STUDENTS OPPORTUNITY SCHOLARS?

Center for Student Opportunity’s exciting new student support program, Opportunity Scholars assists highly motivated and qualified first-generation, low-income and minority college-bound students through the college process to identify and enroll in four-year, student-centered colleges and universities that seek to serve and support them.

A free service for students, Opportunity Scholar benefits include:

• Connections with colleges active in the recruitment of first-generation, low-income, and minority students through CSO College Center
• Monthly Opportunity Scholars e-newsletters
• College admissions support
• Dedicated and personalized college counseling
• Opportunity Scholars scholarship opportunities

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Who are Opportunity Scholars?

Opportunity Scholars are exemplary 9th-12th grade students generally characterized by the following:

• First-generation college-bound [students whose parents did not go to or graduate from college]; and/or

• Limited financial resources [students who seek financial aid and scholarship support for college]; and/or

• Underrepresented/minority groups [students who identify as African-American/Black, American Indian/Alaska native, Hispanic/Latino/a, Asian/Indian Subcontinent/Pacific Islander, and/or rural]

• Students taking a college preparatory curriculum at their high school

• Students demonstrate high engagement in extracurricular and leadership programs

Opportunity Scholars are not defined by minimum academic qualifications, as CSO college partners reflect a spectrum of selectivity to accommodate a diverse pool of student achievement and needs. A complete list of CSO partner colleges can be viewed here.  

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How do students get nominated to be an Opportunity Scholar?

Opportunity Scholars are nominated by high school counselors, community-based organization staff, and college access professionals that work with these students.

To nominate a student, please complete the Opportunity Scholars Nomination Form.

Nominated students will be contacted directly by Center for Student Opportunity to initiate new Opportunity Scholars to the program.

Students wishing to become Opportunity Scholars, but are not able to be nominated by an adviser or mentor, can complete the CSO College Center ConnectNow student profile to get involved.

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How does CSO serve and support Opportunity Scholars?

Center for Student Opportunity lends Opportunity Scholars guidance through the college process and assistance in connecting with colleges and universities.

• Connect with colleges. Opportunity Scholars receive exclusive access to CSO College Center, an online clearinghouse with helpful information and insight on the college process, a college search portal, and ConnectNow, a gateway to send your academic and extracurricular résumé to colleges of interest. CSO college partners also use CSO College Center to actively recruit prospective students.

• Receive Opportunity Scholars eNews. Customized Opportunity Scholars email newsletters to help students through each phase of the college process. Starting in 9th grade, Opportunity Scholars will receive monthly email newsletters with expert advice, To Do lists, and other important information specific to each stage of the college process. Opportunity Scholars also receive CSO’s Opportunity Knocks eNewsletter.

• Individual college admissions support. Both through CSO College Center’s Ask the Experts question form and personal communication, CSO makes its staff available to all Opportunity Scholars for individualized counseling and assistance through the college process.

• Dedicated and personalized college counseling. Does a student you know need the extra attention of a professional college counselor? CSO can match Opportunity Scholars with a counselor from our national network of volunteers for on-going college guidance and support. Whether in person or via email/telephone communication, these expert college counselors can fill in where your school or family can’t.

• Scholarships. Opportunity Scholars are eligible to apply for special Opportunity Scholarships. Scholarship winners receive a $1,000 four-year renewable scholarship and serve as monthly guest bloggers on Center for Student Opportunity’s web blog to share insight and perspective about their transition to college and successes thereafter. Download the Opportunity Scholars Scholarship Application here.

• Opportunity Scholars Certificate. Before students begin their college applications, Opportunity Scholars are issued an Opportunity Scholars Certificate. Students are encouraged to include a copy of the certificate in their application packet and make note of their participation in the Opportunity Scholars program on their résumé. Some colleges may also request the Opportunity Scholars Certificate if the student is requesting an application fee waiver.

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My student has been nominated as an Opportunity Scholar, where does s/he begin?

Once nominated, the student will be contacted by CSO and invited to complete the ConnectNow student profile on CSO College Center. [NOTE: If students do not have an adviser or mentor to nominate them, but they wish to “nominate” themselves as an Opportunity Scholar, students can still complete the ConnectNow student profile]. This will establish a username and password for the site, allow the student to search and save colleges, make their academic, extracurricular, and personal information available to college partners, and provide the Opportunity Scholar with the ability to send their information to colleges. This, and all Opportunity Scholars services, are free, and all information is privacy protected to only be shared with CSO and its college partners.

Once active on CSO College Center, students will begin to receive Opportunity Scholars eNews and are able to access other benefits of the program described above. Opportunity Scholars should be sure to login to CSO College Center regularly to update their ConnectNow student profile and continue to communicate with colleges.

If you have general questions or your student is already registered but has lost his or her username and password, contact collegecenter@csopportunity.org.