How to join

Before

Application

Application is a two-part process. First, submit an application form. This will include your transcript, a teacher recommendation, and two essays. See the form here. Your application will be reviewed for work ethic and drive, leadership skills, and desire to learn. (mention academic proficiency? Ask the student application people) You will be notified of whether or not you will continue the application process within X timeframe.

Next, if you are continuing, you will be contacted in Y timeframe to set up a time and place for an interview. You will be asked about yourself, why you are interested in the program, what you hope to learn, and what your vision is for a strong, vibrant community.

After the interview, you will be notified of whether or not you have been accepted into the program within Z timeframe.

Selected students

Congratulations! If you are accepted into the program, you will be paired with a host family at your destination school. You will be given an opportunity to contact this family before the exchange, and are encouraged to do so.

You will also be paired with another scholar from the school you will visit. This partner will be your guide when you visit their school, and you will be their guide when they visit your school. The order of these visits depends on the timing of the two schools’ spring breaks (each of you will visit the other’s school during your own school’s spring break).

You will be given a schedule of events, information about flights and other transportation, and information about the school they will visit. Suggested packing lists and airport safety rules can be found here. Your guardians will also be given copies of the schedule, school, and transportation information.

You should try to finish as many spring break assignments from your home school as possible before traveling, so that these assignments won’t conflict with the exchange experience.

During

Arrival

During the first Sunday of spring break, you will travel to your host family. Flight plans and other transportation information will be provided. Be sure to check in with your Interstate Scholars contact at each stage of your journey! On Sunday night there will be a welcome dinner for visiting scholars and their partners.

Destination School

On Monday and Tuesday, you will attend your destination school with your guide scholar. This is an exciting chance to learn about a different school community.

Tutors will be available through Interstate Scholars to help you adjust to the new curriculum.

Further Education Day

On Wednesday, you will learn about options for further education, such as colleges and vocational schools, and will have the opportunity to visit several such schools in the area. This is to give you first-hand experience with out-of-state institutions, which can help you decide if you want to travel out of state for further education. After the visits, there will be a group discussion and short workshop about how to choose a school that is a good personal fit. Interstate Scholars will also provide resources and guidance for you to learn more about schools you might like to attend.

Volunteer Experience

On Thursday and Friday, you will learn about a problem faced by your host community, and then your group of visiting scholars will volunteer with an organization that works to fix or lessen the problem. This is a valuable opportunity for building compassion and support between distant communities.

Final Events and Departure

On Friday evening, you and your fellow visiting scholars your host families, guide scholars, and guide scholars’ families will all have dinner together, to share what you have all learned from the exchange experience. When your partner scholar visits your community, you and your family will be invited to their final dinner as well. This is also a chance to see everyone together and strengthen group bonds before going your separate ways. On Sunday you will fly home, ready to return to your home school as experienced, compassionate, confident leaders after a week of helping and learning from your new friends.

After

After the exchange, you will continue to have access to Interstate Scholars resources through the alumni portal on the website. Tutoring will be available, as will information and assistance in researching further education opportunities and scholarships.

Even more importantly, as an Interstate Scholars alumni, you will be empowered to see distant communities not just as stories and statistics, but as people with passions and promise. You will have gained perspective on education through first-hand experience in another high school and visits to colleges and vocational schools. You and your fellow scholars will be further along your journeys to becoming America’s future leaders.