Reaching for the Stars (and Stripes)

A Liverpool schoolgirl has been chosen from over 2000 other students across the country to get the chance to study in the USA.

Rachel Bailey, an A Level student at St John Bosco Arts College, Croxteth applied to the US Programme with the Sutton Trust and Fulbright Commission in order to fulfill her dream of studying in America.

The project is available for students who achieve eight A-A* grades at GCSE and supports them through the application process to the top US Colleges. With only 175 places available and over 2000 applicants there was stiff competition to take part.

To complete her application Rachel had to submit a series of essays, an extensive application form, receive a teacher reference and present herself and her school through a range of media including video.

Following Rachel’s success at stage one, she was invited to go to London for a more formal induction onto the programme where she learned more about her college application process and how they would select the final 175 candidates, as well as completing practice exams and finalising her application.

Rachel was delighted when she was notified that she has been selected as one of the 175 to visit the US Colleges in the summer break. Here she will learn first hand about the US College system and begin her further application process for study in the US the following September.

Rachel says: “This has been a brilliant experience, I am really excited about visiting Yale and other colleges and having the opportunity to see all they have to offer”.

Anne Pontifex, headteacher at St John Bosco Arts College, says: “It is a great privilege to be able to support one of our students in reaching their goals, this is a fantastic opportunity for Rachel and she is a great role model to our younger students, we are delighted for her”

Rachel will visit Yale during the summer break and has a special interest in studying Economics.