Anijah (International Relations & Dance, USC)

One of the key things Scholarship Plus considers is whether our applicants have overcome obstacles. In his recommendation letter, one of Anijah’s math teachers was direct: As to “overcome obstacles,” he wrote, “Anijah is virtually that concept personified.” Anijah comes from a single-parent household; her essay included her memory of having to skip buying glasses to pay the family’s rent, and of the great emphasis by her mother on making her self-reliant. Anijah has been an outstanding student at the Professional Performing Arts School, where students work with professional arts organizations. “This is the third year in a row,” her college counselor noted, “that she has been placed in the highest level of dance instruction with Alvin Ailey — if they could make a higher level for her, they would.” Anijah’s next grand jeté will take her to the Glorya Kaufman School of Dance at the University of Southern California, a program with 800 applicants, of whom 150 to 200 were selected for auditions and 25 were admitted. She will also be majoring in international relations, with an emphasis on pre-med.