When you hear the name of Ivy League schools like Harvard, Princeton or Yale, what comes to mind? For many people, they probably imagine really intelligent students who have guaranteed success for life. 

While getting into an Ivy League school can be difficult, the Ivy League project provides an avenue for first generation college students from economically disadvantaged immigrant households a way to get in. 

The Ivy League Project was founded in 1992 by Martin Mares. The program aims to inspire academic excellence and facilitate university attendance. 

Junior Jazlene Meza learned about the program through her dual enrollment advisor at West Hills College, Mr. Sandoval, who connected her with Mares. Although she applied with two of her friends, Meza was the only one who ended up going on the campus visitations. 

Meza applied, got accepted, and joined the project at the beginning of her junior year in August. She committed to going to one meeting a month. “There were once a month in person meetings in the Sanger, in the Fresno area,” she said. “In the 1st hour they taught us about soft skills, in the 2nd hour people talked about their experience in the Ivy leagues schools, and in the 3rd hour they talked about the college application process.” 

The meetings ran from September to March and culminated in a week-long trip back east to visit campuses and other sites, from April 12 to April19, which cost $2500. 

“The $2,500 covered the cost of the flights and hotels. The program also played for some of our meals and the entries to different places like the Capitol tour. We had to pay for some meals out of pocket and any souvenirs we wanted,” Meza said

Although she was excited about the opportunity, there was initially some anxiousness about not knowing anyone. “At first, I felt apprehensive about going on this trip alone because I’m more introverted and find it hard to talk to new people,” she said. “But it turned out to be an amazing experience. Visiting Ivy League campuses across the country was something I never imagined doing, and I’m really grateful, it pushed me  out of my comfort zone.”

Her experience became positive as she bonded with her roommates. “I met my roommates at the airport when we were waiting to board the flight,” Meza said. “Mr. Mares introduced me to them and we just started talking and became friends. The three girls I was rooming with were actually friends already and went to the same school.” 

The group totaled 27 people, including adults. The trips included not only campus visits, but also visits to Washington D.C. and the 9/11 Memorial, along with insights from current Ivy League students who shared their experiences and admissions advice. 

Admission sessions with Yale and Harvard provided valuable information on financial aid. Meza gained invaluable networking skills through interactions with faculty and students, enabling her to gather contacts who can now assist her with her future applications.

“In total we visited 8 schools, 6 ivy leagues which were UPenn, Princeton, Columbia, Yale, Brown, and Harvard and two non Ivies, Georgetown, and MIT,” Meza said. 

While she enjoyed visiting the different schools, one stood out to her. “ I think it would be Princeton because the campus itself is really beautiful, but also the city that is in, is really nice.”

For students who are looking to challenge themselves, Meza recommends this program, “I think it is a really good way to get to know about college admissions classes because Mr. Mares shows you like a bunch of different essays and prompts so you could get information when it is your time,” she said. “The people who are in the project are from different ages, I think one of them was a 6th grader and one of them went all the way to a senior in high school. It’s also a really good opportunity for meeting new people.”