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Sam wins place at Harvard College through Sutton Trust programme

Sam B, who is completing his A levels at our Academy has won a place and a financial aid package to study at Harvard College after participating in the Sutton Trust US Programme, run in partnership with the US-UK Fulbright Commission.

Sam B, who is completing his A levels at our Academy has won a place and a financial aid package to study at Harvard College after participating in the Sutton Trust US Programme, run in partnership with the US-UK Fulbright Commission.

Last year, Sam was one of 150 students selected for the programme, which brings together some of the brightest and most talented UK state school pupils for an 18-month-long programme exploring US higher education and which supports students to apply to US universities. The programme includes a week-long trip to the United States to visit a number of universities and meet admissions officers from colleges across the US.

The students benefited from residential activities and received an intensive programme of support, delivered by the US-UK Fulbright Commission, covering admission tests, college choices and the application process. More than 1,000 people applied for the 150 places on the programme.

The aim of the Sutton Trust US Programme is to encourage academically talented, low and middle income British students to consider studying at American universities. Sam is one of 72 teenagers from the 2017-2018 cohort to have won a place at a top US university. More than three quarters (76%) will be among the first in their family to go to university and nearly two thirds (65%) are from households with an income of less than £25,000. They will access around $19.9m in financial aid over the four years of their degrees, or an average of $276,500 per student.

The students have been accepted to study at 47 top universities across the USA including: Barnard College, Middlebury College, University of Chicago, Harvey Mudd College, University of Notre Dame, Denison University, Georgetown University, Bryn Mawr College, University of Richmond, Harvard College, Princeton University, and NYU Abu Dhabi.

Sam said: ‘This is an absolutely amazing opportunity to study at one of the best universities in the world. The Sutton Trust US Programme was so informative and gave me the opportunity to see the US Higher Education system first hand so I’d like to thank them, along with the staff at Kettering Science Academy for fully supporting my application.’

Sam’s achievement was celebrated at a reception for the 72 students at the US Embassy in London on Thursday 21st June.

Speaking at the event, Sir Peter Lampl, founder of the Sutton Trust, said:

"Every year, the Sutton Trust's US Programme gives talented teenagers the opportunity to change their lives. The achievements of this cohort, the majority of whom are from backgrounds with family income of less that £40,000, are truly remarkable. 72 out of 150 young people from across the UK have won places at leading American universities and colleges. They'll take up places at Harvard, MIT, Stanford and Yale, as well as at selective smaller colleges like Barnard and Middlebury. They will benefit from the breadth and depth that these universities offer as well as the invaluable experience gained from living in the States."

Penny Egan CBE, Executive Director of the US-UK Fulbright Commission, added:

“As we mark the US-UK Fulbright Commission’s 70th anniversary year, we are delighted to celebrate in partnership with the Sutton Trust the efforts and achievements of the young people headed to the US later this year. US universities appreciate the diverse skills, ambitions and academic potential of this group of students and their education will continue to build on the special relationship between the US and the UK.”

Applications for next year’s programme will open in November. Students can register their interest now. (http://us.suttontrust.com)

The Sutton Trust US Programme was inspired by the Sutton Trust’s successful flagship programme in the UK which now runs at 11 leading British universities and has benefited over ten thousand state school students.

The Sutton Trust US Programme is made possible through support from its founding corporate partner, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, whose investment is matched by Peter Baldwin and Lisbet Rausing who have generously supported the programme since its launch. The programme is also supported by the Robertson Foundation, Jerry del Missier, Martin and Antoinette Sullivan, The Neuberger Berman Foundation and EducationUSA.

For further information please contact Kirsty Callaghan at the US-UK Fulbright Commission on 0207 498 4020 (press@fulbright.org.uk) or Hilary Cornwell at the Sutton Trust on 020 7802 1660.