Community Scholars

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A Community of Support

At Texas Christian University, we believe a diverse community is essential to a quality education. The Community Scholars Program was created to meet this goal. This elite program has grown to include 13 underserved public high schools where top students are recruited for full-ride scholarships to TCU.

These high schools include: Diamond Hill-Jarvis, Dunbar, North Side, O.D. Wyatt, Polytechnic, South Hills, Trimble Technical, Young Men’s Leadership Academy, Sam Houston (Arlington), Lincoln (Dallas), DeSoto, Barack Obama Male Leadership Academy (Dallas) and David W. Carter (Dallas).

We champion your dreams. TCU provides Community Scholars with outstanding leadership skills, and the necessary support to be successful members of the TCU community. Our long-term goal is to help them attain their full potential, including advanced degrees, and to help them become the next generation of community and business leaders.

Approximately 50 of the best applicants join our first-year class each year. These students receive academic and career support, and opportunities to participate in leadership and social activities.

Academic Excellence

What to expect as a TCU Community Scholar:

• Faculty mentoring
• Access to tutors
• The latest technology resources
• Invitations to cultural events
• Resources for study abroad and internship programs
• Opportunities to apply for undergraduate research assistant positions
• Targeted academic and personal support
• Guaranteed access to First-Year Student Seminars
• Connections classes that explore topics through activities and discussions that matter most to you as a new TCU student
• Support with career planning and development activities, including help finding direct job experience on and off campus

Important Dates

Students must submit their TCU application by November 1 (Early Action deadline) to be considered for the Community Scholars program.

Application Checklist

Essay: 
This additional essay tells us more about you and allows you to demonstrate your writing skills, organizational skills, creativity, and imagination. Your essay should be 300-400 words in length. You may submit your essay by logging on to the MyTCU Portal and clicking the Community Scholars link. Please choose from one of the following prompts:

1. Describe a community, cause, or issue that matters deeply to you. What have you already done to contribute, and what impact do you hope to make at TCU and beyond?

2. Describe a challenge, setback, or unexpected responsibility that shaped who you are today. What did you learn about yourself through that experience?


Video

In addition to the Community Scholars Essay, applicants are required to submit a 1–3 minute video as part of the Community Scholars application.

You may submit your video by logging in to the MyTCU Portal and clicking the Community Scholars link. You may either upload your video directly or submit a URL (such as a YouTube link). If submitting a URL, please ensure the link is accessible to reviewers.

Please respond to the following prompt:

Community Scholars come from many different backgrounds and experiences. In your video, share something about yourself that would not appear on a transcript, résumé, or application and explain how it would make you a valuable member of the Community Scholars community.

 

Questions?

Visit the Community Scholars Program website

Contact: 
commscholars@tcu.edu
817-257-5320