Shaun Grahe graduated from Howard County?s Mount Hebron High School in 1999 with a solid grade-point average, an extensive list of extracurricular activities and a goal to be a math teacher.
He was thrilled when he was accepted by his top college choice ? University of Maryland, College Park. Still, he was a bit uneasy that some of his classes could have as many as 400 students.
So he stayed in Howard County and enrolled in the James Rouse Scholars Program at Howard Community College.
“In the Rouse program, I had fairly small classes, I was saving money and it was close to home,” Grahe said.
Since its inception 15 years ago, the prestigious honors program, named after developer ? and Columbia?s founder ? James Rouse, has become a popular choice for top-notch students who need some time before they tackle a four-year school.
“The competition is getting keener and keener,” program Director Jerrold Casway said.
HCC receives about 150 applications for the 75 spots in the Rouse Scholars Program each year. Students are judged on essays, test scores, teacher recommendations and extracurricular activities.
“We are looking for the well-rounded student,” Casway said.
Students in the Rouse Scholars Program take a core honors curriculum and numerous seminars. They undergo academic counseling, take leadership training and complete service learning and internship projects.
“I don?t think enough people recognize that 17- and 18-year-old students are really searching for identity,” Casway said. “Students leave this program, and they are academically prepared.”
About 75 percent of Rouse scholars transfer to four-year schools, Casway said. Students have gone on to Johns Hopkins University, Boston College, University of Pennsylvania, Georgetown University, George Washington University and Syracuse University, among others. Casway likes to say his students earn degrees at these prestigious schools for “half the money.”
Read The Examiner’s entire series on colleges and universities in Maryland.
