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Crosby
Scholars

Crosby Scholars provides FREE help to plan for college and
career. We support students and families in partnership
with our public schools.

Iredell Ready divider line

Crosby Scholars offers free programming to public school students and families from 6th grade through high school graduation to support them in career exploration and college readiness. Students are encouraged to join as early as middle school to reap all of the benefits. To access the individual career and college advising offered in the junior & senior years as well as scholarships and grants, students must enroll no later than 10th grade. Enrollment is easy! From July through December, there is an online application at www.crosbyscholarsiredell.org.

Crosby Scholars College Prep Toolkit

Crosby Scholars offers virtual and in-person workshops on a variety of topics for students and parents. These sessions are free and provide helpful information on topics such as financial aid, choosing a college and/or career, available early college programs, college application steps, college testing preparation, first-time college parent information, etc. Sessions are geared to parents and students at the middle and high school levels. Students (6th-10th grade) are required to attend one Academy Workshop each school year to remain active in the program. Junior and Senior requirements are a bit more involved to support the student with college readiness. 

In middle and high school, students and parents learn about various options for college. This includes early college, apprenticeships, technical degrees, community college transfer programs, university programs etc. The program’s goal is to raise awareness of the many paths there are to a college education. Depending on the student’s interests, goals, and circumstances, one path might be a better fit than another.

Crosby high school participants may take advantage of free test prep sessions for ACT and SAT testing. Crosby Scholars staff members are also up to date on the latest information about test-optional admissions practices among colleges in NC and across the U.S.

Many families worry about how to pay for college. Crosby Scholars staff are knowledgeable about many types of financial aid. During the junior and senior years, students and parents have many opportunities to learn how to complete and get help with the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). We have staff available to help with this as well as to answer questions when aid offers come from colleges.

During a student’s junior and senior years, the Crosby program provides an advisor to help the student (and family) work through the process of choosing a list of best-fit colleges, planning for application deadlines, and to highlight sources of financial aid. This help is free and may be used for just a couple of hours, or much more if needed by the student.

Crosby Scholars Comprehensive Advancement Programs

Community service is at the core of the Crosby Scholars program. Being a good citizen and giving back to one’s community is something the Crosby program endorses. Each student is required to volunteer at least 2 hours each school year and many students exceed this requirement. Junior and Senior requirements are a bit higher to prepare students for college. Many of our participants achieve their community service requirement through other clubs and organizations they are involved with.  Students often benefit as much as they give. They can explore careers, learn leadership, form networks, and have fun while serving. Community service is a consideration for many scholarships and provides the student with an advantage when applying for college. 

Leadership experience is valuable for many reasons. One is that many scholarship applications ask about leadership roles a student has held. Crosby Scholars uses student leaders at the high schools to help engage students and to ensure program offerings are meeting student needs. There is also a student ambassador program at the middle school level to introduce leadership to younger students. Leadership training is also offered as part of our academy workshop series.

Crosby Scholars offers career exploration throughout the program. Each summer, we offer a series of “Try It Tuesday” programs where students hear from professionals and professors in a variety of career roles. In 2023, we partnered with Victory Air for careers in aviation, Mitchell Community College for culinary, cosmetology, public safety, and some healthcare careers. We visited Wells Fargo in Charlotte, Iredell Health System in Mooresville, and UNCC to hear about a data analytics program that is useful to law enforcement.
We also offer YouScience, a career interest and aptitude tool, for students to learn more about their own personal likes and careers that are good matches.

Crosby Scholars also offers scholarships that are available only to students completing our program. These are not based on GPA or other academic standing. There are also need-based grants available for students who qualify. Students must complete the FAFSA and submit other documentation to determine eligibility for these grants. These may be renewable throughout college. Not every Crosby Scholar will receive funding from the program.

College visits are offered for middle and high school students. Students are introduced to differences between public and private colleges, urban and rural, small liberal arts colleges, and large research universities, HBCU’s, etc. These tours are by chartered bus and almost always include lunch at a campus dining facility. Like everything else in the Crosby program, these are free to students.

What We Do

For an overview of the program, visit this page on our website