College Readiness
Scholars Institute

CRSI is a free program. There are no costs for students and families to participate in CRSI. All costs for housing, dining, and student activities are included. Students may opt to bring personal spending money with them.

Residence Halls

CRSI students stay in an air-conditioned residence hall on UD’s north campus, which is within walking distance of academic buildings and other amenities. Trained CRSI mentor staff provide a community environment in the residence halls that promotes respect for individual differences while supporting personal growth and academic success. Available facilities include a study room, laundry room, kitchenette and a large common lounge. 

Rooms

Two students share one fully furnished, double-occupancy, air-conditioned room. Once students have accepted the offer of admission to the CRSI program, they will have the opportunity to either request a roommate or to be matched with a roommate who aligns with their interests, personality, and preferences.

Dining

All CRSI students have a three-per-day meal plan (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) and will eat these meals together with the peer staff in one of UD’s dining halls or student centers. In addition to the nutritious meal options that are readily available to all students, the dining staff will also prepare specialized meals for anyone with dietary restrictions. 

Campus Facilities

All CRSI students will have access to the Carpenter Sports Building during their fitness hour, where students can play basketball, lift weights, use exercise machines, and explore other facilities the gym has to offer.

Campus Safety

The University of Delaware Police Department is committed to creating a safe environment for all students. Blue light emergency boxes that connect the caller to the dispatch center are strategically placed throughout campus and within residential, recreational, and academic buildings. Additionally, students will always be accompanied by either a peer mentor or professional staff member.

Students in CRSI follow a structured schedule designed to promote academic and personal growth. Each day includes academic sessions that introduce students to different majors and the college admissions process, interpersonal workshops for personal development, a fitness hour at the gym, study hour, downtime and engaging evening activities. 

These evening events range from icebreaker activities that foster a supportive community to social gatherings like movie nights, paint nights, field games and a talent show.

Students enjoy a weekend trip, visiting places like Hershey Park and Dave & Buster’s in recent years. This year’s outing is yet to be determined. 

The program concludes with a leadership conference on the final day that highlights the students’ growth and achievements within the two-week span.

CRSI students do not receive official college credits, but will take part in engaging academic seminars and activities during the program. They will also receive a certificate of completion at the end of the program.

Students are not permitted to leave campus during the program without the consent of a legal guardian and the program director. CRSI students need to be free of any  activities outside of the program for its two-week duration. We also strongly encourage families to limit any visits to campus during their student’s participation in the CRSI summer program.

Students in CRSI will get a transformative experience that many past participants have called ‘life-changing.’ At the end of their CRSI experience, students are more confident in themselves, have a stronger sense of purpose, and build many strong relationships with their fellow participants, staff, and faculty. Moreover, students feel more equipped to navigate the college search and college admissions process. To date, 89% of CRSI participants have enrolled in higher education following their high school graduation and nearly 61% have enrolled at the University of Delaware.