We at LogicPrep are fortunate to have many exceptional students pass through our doors. In fact, we often learn as much from them as they do from us. Our team applauds their accomplishments and supports them as they leave their mark on the world around them.

One student reminds us that it’s never too late to start again. He writes, “through a series of bad decisions… I moved to California where I was homeless by [age] 19. I spent three years living on couches, on the street, and in shelters.” After reconsidering his life path, this student returned to New Jersey and enrolled in community college. In his spare time, he crafted a tutoring program around the GED curriculum, and administered it at the same soup kitchen where he once ate. He was awarded the Jack Kent Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship, which recognizes resilience, commitment to service, and academic excellence with up to $30,000 per year to study at America’s best institutions. He is now an undergraduate at Yale, and plans to pursue a degree in law, “so that [he] can be of maximum service to individuals marginalized by their circumstances.” We admire his positivity, empathy, and drive in the face of the difficulties he’s faced. “In journeying through my personal suffering, I came to discover the humanity, hope, and strength with which to forge a new way of life – a life focused on academic pursuits, and a vocational calling to be of service to others.” In 2016, he was one of 54 students in the country to be awarded the prestigious Truman Scholarship for graduate study. We can't wait to see what the future holds for this incredible student!

Another student’s story shows us how we must become the change we hope to see in the world. As an undocumented immigrant, she recalls not understanding as a child why, “some days we had to stay home hiding with the lights out as immigration officers searched the neighborhood. This constant silence led me to become timid, hoping I could get by unnoticed, invisible to others.” Throughout high school, she used literature to form a bridge toward English fluency and excelled academically. However, upon entering community college, she found that she was not eligible for financial aid and that she would have to pay triple the in-county rate. She realized that access to education was something she “would have to fight for, – for [herself] and for all undocumented students.” She helped to form the Tuition Equity for DREAMers coalition, which eventually succeeded in challenging discriminatory legislature. Today she is a student at Brown and the recipient of the prestigious Jack Kent Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship, which covers up to $30,000 per year to study at America’s best institutions. When she reached out to LogicPrep last summer, $9,000 short of tuition, we appealed to our community of teachers, students, and parents to help make her dream a reality -- with LogicPrep matching 100% of all donations. We exceeded our $9,000 goal in just three days, and today, she’s thriving at Brown. This student inspires us to stand up for what we believe in - a fighting chance for all.

One student in particular embodies the definition of hard work, tenacity, and ultimately the power of possibility and opportunity that only a US education can offer. While we typically rely on guidance counselors to refer superstars to the LogicPrep scholarship program, when this student showed up at our office and shared her transcript, her potential was immediately apparent.

When she was a seven-year-old, she explained, her parents moved her family to the US seeking better opportunities for her and her sister. At the time, she spoke no English. While both her parents were teachers in Peru, coming to the US would mean starting over -- and to this day, relying on their young daughters to navigate everything from paying bills to ordering pizza. One thing that remained constant, however, was her family’s emphasis on education.

With incredible grit and the support of the LP team, this student raised her ACT score 10 points. Inspired by her work ethic, our college advising team jumped at the opportunity to guide her through the application process. Mid-December, our office erupted into screams when this student called telling us she’d been offered Early Admission to her first choice school, MIT, on a full scholarship. It was a true team effort, and a dream come true for this incredibly hardworking and talented young woman.