Curated News
By: NewsRamp Editorial Staff
September 15, 2025
Kaplan Scholars Secure Elite College Admissions, Defying Educational Barriers
TLDR
- The Kaplan Educational Foundation's program gives low-income students a competitive edge with 92% earning bachelor's degrees at top schools like Columbia and Yale.
- The Kaplan Leadership Program provides tutoring, advisement, leadership training, and financial stipends to support community college students through degree completion.
- This initiative creates better futures by removing educational barriers for underserved students and empowering them to become community leaders.
- Students from community colleges gained admission to over 25 elite universities including Princeton, Brown, and UNC Chapel Hill this year.
Impact - Why it Matters
This news matters because it demonstrates a proven solution to the persistent achievement gap in higher education, particularly for low-income and underrepresented students. The Kaplan Leadership Program's 92% success rate shows that with proper support systems, community college students can compete at the nation's most selective institutions. This model has significant implications for educational equity, workforce development, and social mobility, as these scholars will become future leaders in their professions and communities. The program's expansion to high school students through the Ichigo Foundation grant indicates growing recognition that early intervention is crucial for breaking cycles of educational inequality.
Summary
The Kaplan Educational Foundation (KEF) is celebrating remarkable achievements from its 18th cohort of Kaplan Leadership Program scholars, with students gaining admission to prestigious institutions including Columbia University, Yale University, Princeton University, Brown University, and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Established in 2006, this transformative program supports high-potential, low-income community college students through comprehensive support including extensive tutoring, academic advisement, leadership training, and financial stipends, enabling them to transfer to and graduate from top four-year universities.
This year's scholars demonstrated exceptional success, with Marco Alvarez, Emily Blanco, Shaheim Kellum, William (Liam) Cesar Lotz, Melanie Jerez, Tymika Lawrence, Samir Perez, Sabreen Qaisar, Minerva Ramirez Sencion, Joseph Sahap, and Tabia Tarannum earning admission to more than 25 elite schools nationwide. The program's 92% bachelor's degree completion rate stands in stark contrast to the national average of only 16% for community college transfer students, particularly those from low-income backgrounds. Executive Director Nolvia Delgado emphasizes the program's commitment to removing barriers and expanding access to higher education for non-traditional, immigrant, and first-generation students.
The foundation's impact continues to grow with recent support from the Ichigo Foundation, funding a new Community College Bridge Program to extend these opportunities to high school students from underserved communities. For those interested in learning more or applying, additional information is available at www.kaplanedfoundation.org, where the foundation's mission of transforming lives through education continues to create pathways to leadership and professional success.
Source Statement
This curated news summary relied on content disributed by citybiz. Read the original source here, Kaplan Scholars Secure Elite College Admissions, Defying Educational Barriers
