Southland College Prep in Richton Park again celebrates 100% college acceptance rate, with $62 million raised in scholarships
RICHTON PARK, Ill. (CBS) -- They've done it again.
For the last nine years, Southland College Prep in Richton Park has celebrated a 100-percent college acceptance rate for its students.
Many of them this year chose Ivy League universities. CBS 2's Shardaa Gray was there when they made their picks.
At an assembly Tuesday, each student placed a blue sticker on the state where they'll attend college.
Four African American young women have been accepted to five of eight Ivy League schools. Xari Carbins' choices include both Harvard and Yale.
"That's quite a big choice for me to make. It's an amazing choice for me to have," Carbins said. "I'm really, really excited."
Carbins said she had not made the decision between the two Ivies when Gray first talked to her.
"I've been flip-flopping," she said.
But we soon found out her choice was Yale.
A total of seniors at Southland College Prep Charter High School have been accepted into colleges - including top-ranked colleges and universities across the country. But the big news is how many scholarships they have raised in total - and that's $62 million.
Lauren Russell was accepted into 22 schools - including Notre Dame and Vanderbilt University - and was offered $4 million in merit-based scholarships. But she decided on Dartmouth.
"I was just excited for my family and that they don't have to have that financial burden on them; that I've worked hard enough for them to be send me to college without having to make sacrifices for them while they're still here," Russell said.
Since Southland's first commencement class in 2014, students at the predominantly African American school have been accepted to all eight Ivy League schools.
"I know that if the academic foundation is there, and if there's not an issue with the finances, they will persevere," said Southland College Prep Charter High School chief executive officer and founder Blondean Davis.
Southland students will be graduating May 28 at the Harris Theater in Millennium Park.