The University of Chicago
Our Commitment
At the University of Chicago, we believe that all students should have access to higher education opportunities no matter their background, geographic location, or ability to pay. UChicago knows that students from rural and small-town contexts bring valuable experiences and viewpoints to a college community. However, students from rural and small-town communities are often faced with unique barriers to college admissions because of their geographic isolation. The UChicago Empower access initiative was designed to address the challenges faced by first-generation, low-income, and rural and small-town students. Thanks to a generous donation from Trott Family Philanthropies, UChicago created the Emerging Rural Leaders Program in 2019 to reduce the barriers to college that rural students and families face by offering college admissions programming on-campus and in local communities, providing mentoring and support systems for high school and college students, and updating financial aid policies and scholarships to enable more rural students to pursue higher education at UChicago. By collaborating with Network members and leveraging existing resources and infrastructure created by the Empower Initiative, the STARS College Network at UChicago will enhance and expand the college access work that began with the Emerging Rural Leaders program in 2019.
Learn more about The University of Chicago's Rural and Small Town Programming
Learn more about The University of Chicago's Admissions
View news coverage on The University of Chicago's participation in STARS
The University of Chicago Events
STARS Near You
STORY in Moscow, ID
October 16th 2024, 6:30 pm PDT
Join admissions representatives from dozens of colleges and universities to learn about holistic admissions, making a college list, and applying for admission and financial aid. The STORY program will feature a 60-minute general admissions information session followed by an 90-minute college fair featuring highly selective research universities, flagship public institutions, and liberal arts colleges from around the country.
Host: California Institute of Technology (Caltech), Case Western Reserve University, Colby College, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Northwestern University, The University of Chicago, University of Denver, Notre Dame, The University of Iowa, University of Southern California, Vanderbilt University, Yale UniversitySTARS Near You
STORY in Walla Walla, WA
October 17th 2024, 6:30 pm PDT
Join admissions representatives from dozens of colleges and universities to learn about holistic admissions, making a college list, and applying for admission and financial aid. The STORY program will feature a 60-minute general admissions information session followed by an 90-minute college fair featuring highly selective research universities, flagship public institutions, and liberal arts colleges from around the country.
Host: California Institute of Technology (Caltech), Case Western Reserve University, Colby College, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Northwestern University, The University of Chicago, University of Denver, Notre Dame, The University of Iowa, University of Southern California, Vanderbilt University, Yale UniversitySTARS Near You
STORY in Bend, OR
October 19th 2024, 2:00 pm PDT
Join admissions representatives from dozens of colleges and universities to learn about holistic admissions, making a college list, and applying for admission and financial aid. The STORY program will feature a 60-minute general admissions information session followed by an 90-minute college fair featuring highly selective research universities, flagship public institutions, and liberal arts colleges from around the country.
Host: California Institute of Technology (Caltech), Case Western Reserve University, Colby College, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Northwestern University, The University of Chicago, University of Denver, Notre Dame, The University of Iowa, University of Southern California, Vanderbilt University, Yale UniversitySTARS Near You
STORY in Redding, CA
October 20th 2024, 2:00 pm PDT
Join admissions representatives from dozens of colleges and universities to learn about holistic admissions, making a college list, and applying for admission and financial aid. The STORY program will feature a 60-minute general admissions information session followed by an 90-minute college fair featuring highly selective research universities, flagship public institutions, and liberal arts colleges from around the country.
Host: California Institute of Technology (Caltech), Case Western Reserve University, Colby College, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Northwestern University, The University of Chicago, University of Denver, Notre Dame, The University of Iowa, University of Southern California, Vanderbilt University, Yale UniversitySTARS Near You
STORY in Incline Village, NV
October 21st 2024, 6:30 pm PDT
Join admissions representatives from dozens of colleges and universities to learn about holistic admissions, making a college list, and applying for admission and financial aid. The STORY program will feature a 60-minute general admissions information session followed by an 90-minute college fair featuring highly selective research universities, flagship public institutions, and liberal arts colleges from around the country.
Host: California Institute of Technology (Caltech), Case Western Reserve University, Colby College, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Northwestern University, The University of Chicago, University of Denver, Notre Dame, The University of Iowa, University of Southern California, Vanderbilt University, Yale UniversitySTARS Near You
STARS in Farmington, MO
October 22nd 2024, 6:00 pm CDT
Join Columbia University, The Ohio State University, University of Chicago, and Washington University in St. Louis from the STARS College Network for an afternoon all about college! We’ll have a 45-minute information session on topics like holistic review, financial aid, and how to set yourself up for success in the college application process. Afterwards, you’ll have time to browse a mini-college fair of participating institutions from across the country!
Host: Columbia University in the City of New York, The Ohio State University, The University of Chicago, Washington University in St. LouisSTARS Near You
STARS in Plattsburg, MO
October 25th 2024, 1:00 pm CDT
Join Columbia University, The Ohio State University, University of Chicago, and Washington University in St. Louis from the STARS College Network for an afternoon all about college! We’ll have a 45-minute information session on topics like holistic review, financial aid, and how to set yourself up for success in the college application process. Afterwards, you ’ll have time to browse a mini-college fair of participating institutions from across the country!
Host: Columbia University in the City of New York, The Ohio State University, The University of Chicago, Washington University in St. Louis