A new group of Carroll Scholars has officially begun their Patriot journey.
With the new school year, JC has welcomed a new class of Carroll Scholars. The class of 2027 has 190 students, of which 12 are Carroll Scholars.
The Carroll Scholar program is very selective. College Counselor Kelly Smith said, “A student’s high school placement exam, as well as recommendations, interview, and writing samples, are considered in selecting students for the Carroll Scholars program.”
The scholarship comes with financial benefits. Students in the program receive money toward their tuition for all four years at John Carroll.
Students involved in this program often end up in leadership roles during their time at JC.
Mrs. Smith said, “Usually, these students are also involved on campus and in the community during their time here and in other academic programs as well.”
The Carroll Scholars program is only one of the many academic programs where students can begin their freshman year. Most of the Carroll Scholars are also working toward AP Capstone.
AP Capstone has a larger group of participants which includes 23 freshmen.
Mrs. Smith said, “AP Capstone is a diploma program through the College Board for students who take AP Seminar, AP Research, and four additional AP courses and pass all exams.”
The main difference between AP Capstone and Carroll Scholars is the class requirements. Carroll Scholars is a scholarship program with no specific course requirements. To complete the AP Capstone program, students are required to pass the AP Seminar and AP Research exams, in addition to passing four other AP exams.
Mrs. Smith said that she is very excited to welcome the new class of Carroll Scholars because of “their diverse interests and excitement of being a John Carroll Patriot.”
Freshman Callie Lien, a Carroll Scholar, said, “Being a Carroll Scholar means that I must be a leader for the other students at John Carroll. It is my responsibility to help students where help is needed and to be a person to lean on when they need a helping hand.”
Callie’s favorite part about being a Carroll Scholar is that “it gives me the opportunity to learn and grow in a safe and comfortable environment with teachers and other scholars to help me become the best version of myself.”