Khan’s Tutorial: Dr. Mansur Khan SHSAT Opportunity Scholarship
As Chief Operating Officer at Khan’s Tutorial, I ardently believe that all students should have access to exceptional education regardless of income or background. I am eager and grateful to be a part of an organization that transformed the academic trajectory of low-income communities hailing from Bangladesh, Nepal, Tibet, the Middle East, the West Indies, Southeast Asia and other similar regions since 1994. Additionally, to increase Black and Latino admissions into the Specialized High Schools, we have been partnering with organizations such as DreamChasers and The Brooklyn Technical High School STEM Pipeline for years. We have also spearheaded the Mansur Khan Opportunity Scholarship in 2014 to provide full and partial scholarships to Black and Latino students providing them with the opportunity to participate in our renowned 7th grade SHSAT program that has helped 4,450 students gain entrance into the Specialized High Schools for the past 29 years.
The SHSAT is the sole criteria for admissions into the 9 Specialized High Schools. Currently, in NYC, there are approximately 415 high schools, and the Specialized high Schools consistently rank in the upper echelon of all NYC high schools. Out of the 30, 000 8th grade students who take the exam, only 6,000 are accepted each year. Accepted students gain access to rigorous academics and access to the most competitive colleges and universities in the nation. The alumni of the Bronx High School for Science, for instance, boast 8 Nobel prize laureates.
Attending New York City’s Specialized High Schools provides students with world-class academics and first-rate educational opportunities at little to no cost. Known for their academic rigor, notable teachers, motivated students, diverse course offerings and extracurricular activities, the Specialized High Schools pave the way for students from all socioeconomic backgrounds to gain access to and achieve academic successes, which have oftentimes been left only for those who could afford it.
Most students that attend Khan’s Tutorial’s renowned SHSAT program come from low income households and school systems in the outer boroughs that, unfortunately, fail to adequately prepare students for high school, college and beyond.
The Covid Pandemic further diminished student progress, erasing 2 decades of progress in both ELA and Math[1]. According to the NYTimes, “In math, Black students lost 13 points, compared with five points among white students, widening the gap between the two groups. Research has documented the profound effect school closures had on low-income students and on Black and Hispanic students, in part because their schools were more likely to continue remote learning for longer periods of time.”[1].
Our program and scholarships are opportunities for these students to expose them to schools that challenge them mentally and encourage them to excel. Approximately 15–20% of incoming freshman students to Stuyvesant and Bronx Science come from our SHSAT program alone and we are working diligently year after year to have Black and Hispanic students a part of this percentage.
To Apply to our Mansur Khan Opportunity Scholarship program, please visit: https://khanstutorial.typeform.com/to/B2hnrhM6?typeform-source=khanstutorial.com
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Let’s together create the change we want to see in our education system.
[1] https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/01/us/national-test-scores-math-reading-pandemic.html
