Every year, Granada Hills Charter (GHC) averages three to four Posse scholars out of the senior graduating class. This year, seniors Ashley Hughes (Tulane), Taimur Khokhar (University of Wisconsin Madison), Michael Wang (Northwestern), and Bethany Villalobos (Northwestern) received Posse scholarships.
Posse is a prestigious and highly competitive four year, full tuition merit scholarship awarded to high school seniors who demonstrate strong leadership abilities. Scholars are selected in teams of ten out of over 60 top tier colleges and universities across the United States.
“Some of the main things I focused on as a candidate were authenticity and certainty in my commitment,” Hughes said. “In interviews and whenever I had the opportunity, I would honestly just be myself and have fun with it.”
The interview process, also known as the Dynamic Assessment Process (DAP), is a three-round interactive process that takes place August through December. During this process, students have a chance to show their group, individual, and team-based skills. After three rounds, the final round of students is made aware of their selection, and what school they matched with.
Students who match with a school receive training, mentorship, and support from the time of their match to their college years and beyond from the Posse Foundation.
“I matched with the University of Wisconsin Madison,” Khokhar said. “The thing that most excites me is that once you’re a Posse scholar, you immediately have access to different job and internship opportunities, and advantages when it comes to the workforce.”
For many Posse scholars, the chance to enter their preferred field of study with a team on their side continues to be the motivation in achieving their future goals.
“I am going to be attending Northwestern University and will be majoring in social policy,” Villalobos said. “I hope to pursue education policy in the future and be an education policy analyst in order to support underserved and disadvantaged students.”
Future GHC seniors interested in Posse can learn about the opportunity from the College and Careers Office and their own counselor.
“A big part of it is opening yourself up to new people and new spaces,” Villalobos said. “Be a supporter to other people too, afterall, Posse is a group scholarship.”