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UW officials consider college prep a success
MADISON, Wis. (AP) - As a high school freshman, Raymond McCurty-Smith already had college on his mind when he heard about the University of Wisconsin-Madison's prep program.
He immediately understood how the program could work for him - he could get a full-tuition scholarship to UW-Madison if he finished the program and kept up his grades.
The university started the PEOPLE program as part of a larger plan to improve diversity on campus by helping disadvantaged and minority kids prepare for college and, preferably, enroll at UW-Madison. More than five years after the program started, administrators consider it a success.
So does McCurty-Smith, 17, who graduated from the program last week and will start his senior year of high school this fall.
"It was funny because I was already thinking of going to UW-Madison, and that decided it," said McCurty-Smith, of Milwaukee. "It was just such a good opportunity."
All 226 people completing the program through 2003 had graduated from high school, with 96 percent going on to college and about half picking UW-Madison.
"I'm pleased with that," said Walter Lane, an assistant dean in the School of Education who leads PEOPLE, which stands for Pre-College Enrichment Opportunity Program for Learning Excellence. "Hopefully this trend will continue to go upward."
The university spent nearly $3 million last year on the program, which has resulted in 117 UW-Madison undergraduates, including 41 freshmen this fall.
To get the scholarship, students must complete eight weeks of summer classes designed to prepare them for college. Summer sessions also include field trips, cultural activities and internships for the oldest students.
Nearly 1,000 other kids are involved in earlier stages of the program, which can include after-school classes and tutoring.
"Given the young people now in the pipeline, there's no question that the number of students enrolling at UW-
Madison will continue to grow exponentially," said Darrell Bazzell, vice chancellor for administration. "The investment is starting to pay off."
Every program graduate who enrolls at UW-Madison gets free tuition for up to five years, though the university does not accept every graduate who applies, said Carlos Reyes, an admissions officer.
The program began with 65 Milwaukee students and later expanded to Madison, Racine, Waukesha and the Ho-Chunk, Lac Courte Oreilles and Menomonee Indian nations. Middle-school students from Madison later were added, and the program will expand this fall to include some Madison elementary schools students.
"It helps a lot of children start thinking about their future earlier than they would have before and in a consistent way," said Joann Johnson, whose daughter, Renita Paris, graduated from the program last week.
Her daughter would be the first one in her family to go to college, said Johnson, of Madison. "They start getting excited that, yes, they can go to college."
---
On the Net:
University of Wisconsin-Madison: http://www.wisc.edu
He immediately understood how the program could work for him - he could get a full-tuition scholarship to UW-Madison if he finished the program and kept up his grades.
The university started the PEOPLE program as part of a larger plan to improve diversity on campus by helping disadvantaged and minority kids prepare for college and, preferably, enroll at UW-Madison. More than five years after the program started, administrators consider it a success.
So does McCurty-Smith, 17, who graduated from the program last week and will start his senior year of high school this fall.
"It was funny because I was already thinking of going to UW-Madison, and that decided it," said McCurty-Smith, of Milwaukee. "It was just such a good opportunity."
All 226 people completing the program through 2003 had graduated from high school, with 96 percent going on to college and about half picking UW-Madison.
"I'm pleased with that," said Walter Lane, an assistant dean in the School of Education who leads PEOPLE, which stands for Pre-College Enrichment Opportunity Program for Learning Excellence. "Hopefully this trend will continue to go upward."
The university spent nearly $3 million last year on the program, which has resulted in 117 UW-Madison undergraduates, including 41 freshmen this fall.
To get the scholarship, students must complete eight weeks of summer classes designed to prepare them for college. Summer sessions also include field trips, cultural activities and internships for the oldest students.
Nearly 1,000 other kids are involved in earlier stages of the program, which can include after-school classes and tutoring.
"Given the young people now in the pipeline, there's no question that the number of students enrolling at UW-
Madison will continue to grow exponentially," said Darrell Bazzell, vice chancellor for administration. "The investment is starting to pay off."
Every program graduate who enrolls at UW-Madison gets free tuition for up to five years, though the university does not accept every graduate who applies, said Carlos Reyes, an admissions officer.
The program began with 65 Milwaukee students and later expanded to Madison, Racine, Waukesha and the Ho-Chunk, Lac Courte Oreilles and Menomonee Indian nations. Middle-school students from Madison later were added, and the program will expand this fall to include some Madison elementary schools students.
"It helps a lot of children start thinking about their future earlier than they would have before and in a consistent way," said Joann Johnson, whose daughter, Renita Paris, graduated from the program last week.
Her daughter would be the first one in her family to go to college, said Johnson, of Madison. "They start getting excited that, yes, they can go to college."
---
On the Net:
University of Wisconsin-Madison: http://www.wisc.edu
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