STARS College Network

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STARS College Network

32 partner colleges empowering rural and small-town students to achieve their academic goals.

06/16/2026

Join STARS representatives from Caltech, MIT, University of Arizona, and University of Iowa to learn more about how STARS member schools support their students as they pursue a wide variety of careers in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) areas!

From astronauts to engineers to zoologists, and everything in between, STARS member schools have programs to set their students up for success in hundreds of different STEM careers.

Register:
https://engage.starscollegenetwork.org/register/?id=ce11f7a6-2583-435f-bf75-856ee1e7310e

06/12/2026

We loved seeing this Wall Street Journal feature highlighting Byron Trott and rootEd Alliance’s work expanding college and career advising access for rural students.

As a partner organization, STARS is proud to work alongside rootEd and others who are committed to ensuring rural and small-town students have the support, exposure, and opportunities they deserve.

The article reinforces something we see every day: when students are connected with mentorship, guidance, and access to information, futures expand.

Whether students pursue college, workforce training, skilled trades, military service, or another meaningful path, every student deserves someone helping them navigate what comes next.

Talent is everywhere. Opportunity should be too.

Read more:
https://www.wsj.com/personal-finance/the-simple-fix-small-town-schools-are-using-to-keep-teens-out-of-dead-end-jobs-89383278?st=DurBsj&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink

06/08/2026

Considering applying for the 2026 STARS Fly-Ins, but unsure if they’re for you?

In episode 4 of the STARS Podcast, we sit down with David, a recent high school graduate from rural northern Michigan. 🎓

David always had big dreams, but pursuing them sometimes felt like “trailblazing a path through a place no one from my community had ever really been.”

Through STARS fly-in programs at schools like Northwestern, Columbia, Brown, and Case Western, David found both college opportunities and a network of ambitious rural students. Now heading to the University of Notre Dame as a Scott Scholar, David reflects on overcoming isolation, navigating unfamiliar spaces, and learning to ask himself one simple question: “Why not me?”

From his first-ever airplane flight to one of the nation’s top universities, David’s journey is an inspiring reminder that accessing available opportunities can completely transform a student’s confidence and future. ✈️🏫

🔗 Listen at https://open.spotify.com/episode/6s2kB1zdMNQaVNiDYJiYiK?si=St-DNUnqRECqykErpZiLjA

06/04/2026

The 2026 STARS College Network joint application for senior fly-ins is live! The application features four programs this year:

⭐ Amherst College: 9/25-9/28
⭐ Brown University: 9/27-9/29
⭐ Case Western Reserve University: 10/11-10/13
⭐ Colby College: 10/18-10/20 (this program also accepts juniors)

Small-town and rural seniors are eligible to apply (as well as juniors for the Colby program), and a nomination from an educator is recommended as part of the application process.

💸 All four programs are fully-funded.

🔗 Use the link in our bio to apply!

06/01/2026

Join staff and faculty from Georgia Tech, University of Texas at Austin, Stanford University, and Colby College to learn more about the wide variety of support systems available to students during their time on our campuses, as well as some strategies for making your transition from high school to college as seamless as possible.

As part of our "Transition Series," this session will be especially helpful for current high school seniors getting ready to make the transition from high school to college, but students of all grade levels are welcome to join and ask questions!

Register:
https://engage.starscollegenetwork.org/register/?id=417d8b28-7e4c-466e-bd8b-10fdc0f9ab2e

05/28/2026

Join STARS representatives from Brown University, University of Notre Dame, Amherst College, and the University of Maryland to learn more about how STARS member schools support their students as they pursue a wide variety of careers in the Humanities!

From art therapy to graphic design to writing, and everything in between, STARS member schools have programs to set their students up for success in hundreds of careers using their Humanities degrees.

Register:
https://engage.starscollegenetwork.org/register/?id=61136a8f-9cef-402d-bf8c-3c0ec4c97ebe

05/26/2026

Recently, NPR’s Weekend Edition featured the STARS College Network and the growing movement to expand access, opportunity, and belonging for rural and small-town students in higher education.

The story highlights an important reality: talented students exist in every community, but rural students have historically been underrepresented at many selective colleges and universities.

At STARS, we’re proud to work alongside member institutions committed to changing that, not only by helping students apply to college, but by helping them feel welcomed, supported, and prepared to thrive once they arrive on campus.

Rural students belong everywhere.

Read more at:
https://www.npr.org/2026/05/16/nx-s1-5797420/selective-colleges-woo-rural-students

05/15/2026

Calling all counselors! ✨

Join us for the STARS Counselor Conference: Midwest Tour!

✔️ Campus visits at Case Western, Notre Dame, UChicago, and Northwestern
✔️ Workshops, panels, and real conversations
✔️ Fully-funded experience

⏰ Deadline: May 22, 2026
🗓 Oct 4-8, 2026
🔗 https://engage.starscollegenetwork.org/register/?id=f87d053f-05d6-4571-a909-bbb1a0a93f33

Plus, a reminder about the STARS Counselor Conference: Northeast Tour!

✔️ Campus visits at Amherst, Brown, Columbia, and Yale
✔️ Workshops, panels, and real conversations
✔️ Fully-funded experience

⏰ Deadline: May 22, 2026
🗓 Sept 16–19, 2026
🔗 https://engage.starscollegenetwork.org/register/?id=d3138c40-e54d-44cd-ae13-5363e8965d42

05/12/2026

In this episode of the STARS Podcast, we sit down with Genesis, a high school senior from Newman, California whose journey from a rural, low-income, first-generation background to Yale University shows what becomes possible when talent meets opportunity.

She shares the challenges of navigating the college process without family precedent, limited exposure to selective universities, and the misconception that top colleges are financially out of reach.

Through the support of the STARS College Network, from SAT tutoring and application guidance to interview prep and a STARS Fly-In at Brown University, she gained the confidence, knowledge, and community to dream bigger.

Her story is a powerful reminder that students from rural and small-town communities really do belong at the nation’s most selective colleges.

05/11/2026

WashU FLI-In is a special small-group opportunity designed to introduce First-generation and Limited-Income students to the college application process and to WashU. =

During this three-day program, you’ll engage in deeper exploration of an academic area of interest (Arts & Sciences, Business, Engineering, Art & Architecture, or PreMed) while experiencing campus life and our vibrant community!

WashU FLI-In is an application-based program open to rising high school seniors (graduating in spring 2027) who reside in the U.S. or U.S. territories. Students who are the first generation in their family to attend college or come from a limited-income household are encouraged to apply. Applications are due by May 15, 2026.

To apply:
https://starscollegenetwork.org/events/

Address

5801 S Ellis Ave
Chicago, IL
60637

Website

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