YSP Resources

The Young Scholars Program is a partnership between the Naveen Jindal School of Management at The University of Texas at Dallas and the Dallas Independent School District. Its purpose is to support the academic, social and emotional development of Dallas ISD high school students and improve their readiness for success in college and careers.

Any student who attends one of the following Dallas Independent School District schools is eligible to apply to the Young Scholars Program:

• Moisés E. Molina High School
• Molina High School Collegiate Academy (B-TECH)
• Franklin D. Roosevelt High School
• Roosevelt H-Tech High School
• H. Grady Spruce High School
• H. Grady Spruce Early College High School
• W.T. White High School
• W.T. White High School Collegiate Academy (B-TECH)
• School of Business and Management at Yvonne A. Ewell Townview Center

High school students interested in becoming a Young Scholar must complete the YSP questionnaire. The questionnaire is available through the high school’s YSP administrator at each participating DISD school. These questionnaires will be reviewed by the UT Dallas YSP director and the Young Scholars selection committee.

High School students selected to be Young Scholars may participate in the following:

• Monthly Inspirational/Informational Sessions: These sessions will be held at each YSP high school. These sessions are designed to provide timely and relevant information on preparing for postsecondary education. Speakers will be experts in their fields. These monthly get-togethers are meant to inspire students to achieve academic success and inform them how to make that happen.
• Mentoring: “Research confirms that quality mentoring relationships have powerful positive effects on young people in a variety of personal, academic and professional situations.” (The National Mentoring Partnership, 2019). YSP mentors may be UT Dallas students, staff, faculty, alumni or community partners. The YSP director will match mentors will high schools students, with the goal of a 1:5 mentor-student ratio. Mentoring will occur primarily via an online platform with the goal of providing the necessary resources to meet the needs of Young Scholars.
• SAT/ACT Preparation Sessions: According to the College Board, which administers the SAT test, just six to eight hours of preparation on official SAT practice tests correlates to an average 90-point increase on SAT scores. A 115-point average score increase is associated with 20 hours of practice (The Washington Post, May 9, 2017). The Young Scholars Program collaborates with Dallas ISD to provide opportunities for YSP students to hone their test-taking skills and content knowledge during the fall, spring and summer.
• UT Dallas Campus Visits: Touring campus gives high school students a chance to experience people connected with UT Dallas and campus life. These visits also offer students an opportunity to see for themselves what higher education looks like. This is why, each year, high schoolers involved in YSP are invited for a daylong tour of the UT Dallas campus.

No. The purpose of the Young Scholars Program is to help high school students prepare for postsecondary education and their future careers. It is up to each student to decide what post-secondary educational path to take.

No. Young Scholars who want to attend UT Dallas will go through the same application process as all students seeking admission. However, Young Scholars who participate fully in the high school program and who meet certain academic criteria may be considered for a YSP scholarship to attend the Naveen Jindal School of Management at The University of Texas at Dallas.

One major component of YSP, once students are enrolled in the Jindal School, is covering the costs of their education, including room and board, through grants and scholarships. At the high school level, donations are used to underwrite programs on each high school campus such as mentoring and SAT/ACT preparation; and to defray the costs of the annual campus visit to UT Dallas.

Donations at any level are valued and contribute to the success of these students.

There may be opportunities for in-kind donations to support specific YSP activities, both at UT Dallas and on the Dallas ISD campuses.

The YSP advisory board, comprised of committed professionals who understand the needs and relevance of the Young Scholars Program, welcomes other members who are passionate about educating all of Dallas’ students to their highest ability level. Our board members understand that the entire community benefits when all students receive a quality education.