Five seniors traveled to the University of Chicago, University of Pennsylvania, and University of California Irvine for free over the summer.

Aaron Rodriguez, Briana Gomez, Natalie Romo, Julia Santiago, and Michael Wheatley were accepted out of thousands of other applicants nationwide to experience a once in a lifetime opportunity known as HSF YLI 2016. HSF YLI stands for Hispanic Scholarship Fund Youth Leadership Institute, a program that empowers Latino students to strive for a higher education.

Through this program these seniors familiarized themselves with the college application process, scholarships, and financial aid opportunities.

One important lesson Julia gained from this experience was to never underestimate herself. “You should never cross a college off your list because you never know what you’re capable of, so keep your options open.” The program also emphasized the importance of never settling for less-demanding colleges. Rodriguez emphasizes, “This is especially common in the Latino community.”

Since these students participated in this program, they have a better opportunity of receiving the $500-$5,000 HSF scholarship. Not only that, but Natalie states, “It was an opportunity of a lifetime!”

Therefore they recommend juniors take advantage of this opportunity and definitely apply.

Being that these students experienced dorming at a college campus, here are some tips they’d like to share:

1. “Dont ever lose your dorm key. You’ll have to pay for it.” – Natalie Romo
2. “Dining halls get crowded, wake up with enough time in the morning for breakfast.” – Julia Santiago
3. “Try to sleep at night because days are hectic.” – Aaron Rodriquez
4. “Be quick to make friends.” – Michael Wheatley
5. “Be sure to shower before rush hour.” – Briana Gomez