Imagine having the chance to ‘practice college’ before enrolling. The IU Balfour Scholars Program welcomed about 130 rising high school students July 12 for their third annual Balfour Pre-College Academy, according to an IU press release.
High school seniors were given the opportunity to learn the skills they will need to make mature decisions upon their own arrival at college. They experienced a ‘camp’-type setting away from home while working through situations they will encounter at college within the year, whether or not they ?attend IU.
The IU Balfour Scholars Program seeks to increase access to higher education for students from underrepresented groups, according to the ?release.
“The Balfour Scholars Program is continuing to develop while being true to its mission of helping underrepresented students with college choice and college fit,” program director Christina Wright-Fields said. “We know it is important to reach students early in their careers and help them develop the academic skills they will need to be successful in college and ?beyond.”
Students stayed on campus to learn about college life, explore campus and make friends through organized activities. The goal of the program is to help students gain a better understanding of what it takes to pursue prospective majors, careers and internships, according to the release.
Pre-College Academy is different from other traditional summer campus programs because it is designed to assist high school students in understanding their own identify in higher education so they can begin to think about what career options will be the best fit for them.
There are benefits for rising high school seniors who attend IU-Bloomington through their Balfour Scholar opportunities. Those who end up attending become eligible for textbook scholarships from an anonymous donor, according to the ?release.
Balfour Scholar students also have the chance to be hired as program development interns. They will be able to take part in a mentor-apprentice program developed through IU’s Faculty and Staff for Student Excellence program, according to the release.
The majority of Balfour Scholars are from Indianapolis and Fort Wayne with only eight students from out of state, according to the ?release.
To qualify for the program students must be enrolled in a college preparatory curriculum, maintain a 3.0 grade-point average or higher and have completed their junior year of high school.
The Balfour Scholars Program gives preference to underrepresented groups, such as first-generation students and ethnic minorities. Seventy-two percent of this year’s participants are African-American or Latino, according to the release.
Students called the program “life changing” and said they were eager to recommend it to friends and younger siblings in end of the week evaluations. The 2013 and 2014 Balfour students reported gaining confidence and understanding that strengthened their expectations of being successful during college, according to the release.
