BECOME AN OMD SCHOLAR
TYPES OF SUPPORT
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The OMD Support Model
When you become an OMD Scholar, you gain access to four types of support: Academic support, financial support, professional development, and personal coaching.
Academic Support
- Personalized tutoring and academic planning
- Accountability calls with your dedicated OMD Program Coordinator (PC)
Financial Support
- Stipends to help with books, transportation, or other college costs
- Financial literacy training and counselling to help plan your future
Professional Development
- Monthly seminars on topics like time management and self-care
- Resume building LinkedIn training, and mock-interviews
Personal Coaching
- One-on-one and group mentoring from OMD staff and coaches
- A community committed to growth, success, and empowerment
OMD ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
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Are you eligible?
Scroll to see if you meet our eligibility requirements.
Please note: There are different steps to becoming an OMD Scholar depending on which City Colleges of Chicago (CCC) campus you attend. When you begin the application process, you’ll learn specific steps based on your CCC campus.
CITY COLLEGES OF CHICAGO
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You can do this!
One Million Degrees provides the tools you need to be the best student and leader you can be.
OMD Scholars gain access to resources like:
Free tutoring
Financial supports via stipends and grants
Monthly skills-building workshops
Personal success coaches
Consistent check-ins with your dedicated OMD Program Coodinator
HOW TO GET STARTED
CHECK YOUR TO DO LIST
Double check you meet OMD’s
eligibility requirements.
Sign up for email updates from OMD.
Watch your inboxes, including your CCC student email and CCC portal, for more information and next steps.
HOW TO GET STARTED
CHECK YOUR TO DO LIST
CHICAGO HOUSING AUTHORITY
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Are you a resident of Chicago Housing Authority?
One Million Degrees collaborates with CHA through Partners in Education PLUS (PIE+), offering enhanced support.
Verified CHA residents qualify by checking the box on the OMD application, and our team will promptly reach out with the next steps, ensuring a seamless connection to additional resources and benefits tailored to CHA residents.
Not eligible for Fall 2024?
Join our email list below to be notified about our future opportunities.
JOIN THE LIST
FAQS
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Let's answer your questions!
If you’re interested in becoming an OMD scholar, we want to make the process as easy as possible. Check out our frequently asked questions below
What does OMD do for me?
OMD is a student success program for City College of Chicago (CCC) students. When you become an OMD Scholar, you gain access to:
Academic Support :
- Personalized one-on-one tutoring and academic planning
- Accountability calls with your dedicated OMD Program Coordinator (PC)
Financial Support:
- Stipends to help with books, transportation, or other college costs
- Financial literacy training and counselling to help plan your future
Professional Development:
- Monthly seminars on topics like time management and self-care
- Resume building LinkedIn training, and mock-interviews
Personal Coaching :
- One-on-one and group mentoring from OMD staff and coaches
- A community committed to growth, success, and empowerment
How are students selected to become scholars?
The process to become an OMD scholar depends on whether you’ve met our eligibility requirements and on which City College of Chicago (CCC) campus you attend.
If you attend Olive-Harvey or Malcolm X Colleges and meet OMD eligibility requirements, you are considered opted in to OMD scholar supports and should have received communications about accessing our program. If you have not received that information, Please CALL TO ACTION TBD.
If you attend Harold Washington, Kennedy King, Richard J. Daley, Truman, or Wilbur Wright Colleges and meet OMD eligibility requirements, you’ll need to fill out an application. Accepted students must then move through our provisional acceptance process while the limited open spots at the campus they will be attending are available. Spots in our program are open on a first to register full time, complete our onboarding steps, ensure they have resolved any financial aid/CHA/or STAR requirements.
Am I eligible to apply and/or become an OMD scholar if I am undocumented?
Undocumented students are eligible to apply to OMD if they are STAR Scholarship eligible and eventually are awarded the scholarship.
Can I apply if I’m not enrolled in City Colleges of Chicago?
While we have partnerships with other organizations outside of CCC, you cannot directly access the OMD program if you’re not enrolled in one of CCC’s colleges: Harold Washington College, Richard J. Daley College, Kennedy-King College, Malcolm X College, Truman College, Olive Harvey College, Wilbur Wright College.
What if I don’t know for certain that I’m attending City Colleges of Chicago?
That’s totally fine! We ask that if your plans change at any point in your OMD application process and you are no longer attending community college in the fall, that you inform us as soon as possible so we may invite another awesome candidate to fill your spot.
What if I am out of district?
Only students who qualify for in-district tuition at one of our partner colleges are eligible to apply for the program.
Can I apply if I’m not a senior in high school?
OMD only accepts recent high school graduates, current community college students and returning adults. Keep us in mind for your senior year! We accept a new cohort of scholars every year. You can also join our student pipeline and we will contact you your senior year to find out if you are interested in joining OMD. Click here and join our future scholar pipeline.
What is the STAR Scholarship and how do I know if I’m eligible?
Students who graduated from a Chicago Public School with a 3.0 GPA and who test completion-ready in Math and English on CCC placement test are eligible to apply to be STAR scholars. STAR scholars are able to pursue an associate degree at City Colleges of Chicago at no cost – receiving free tuition and books. The STAR Scholarship also has options for helping to pay for up to $50,000 per year towards a bachelor’s degree after completing an associate degree.
Why is Pell eligibility required and how do I know if I'm Pell eligible?
One Million Degrees is a “last dollar scholarship” meaning we pick up the cost between what your financial aid package covers and the real cost of attending community college. We do not provide full-tuition scholarships to any scholar.
If you are a current community college student and already receiving Financial Aid, this means you are most likely Pell eligible.
My application will not submit—why not?
Save and re-open your application using Google Chrome or Firefox instead of Internet Explorer. If switching the browser does not work, please contact us.
What if I want to switch City College of Chicago campuses? Will I still have access to OMD supports?
You may be allowed to transfer into another campus’s OMD program, depending on the location and/or availability. Please talk to your Program Coordinator (PC) about your options.
OMD SCHOLAR
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“You know, everybody may have a different story, but we are all on the same path. We all have a goal.”
