College acceptance marks new beginning for Cristo Rey High School seniors

LOGAN (WPVI) -- Friday marked a new beginning for seniors at Cristo Rey High School in Philadelphia's Logan section.

They learned they've been accepted to college, and received an acceptance letter on the spot from schools ranging from Rosemont to Cabrini to Chestnut Hill - this after brief interviews and looks at ACT scores and academic transcripts.

This is the second year the Catholic charter school has had the program in cooperation with schools like Neuman University and Immaculata University.

"It's a plus that I got in," said Mariella Pena, A senior, who says she wants to major in pre-med. "Trying to go to med school and become a gynecologist."

"I'm actually getting a $3,000 scholarship a year just based off my grades and the interview," said Richard Calhoun, senior.

Calhoun has been admitted to Rosemont College. That's where Tymir Khalil-Bush is a freshman. He was chosen at his alma mater in the same program last fall.

"I definitely understand the excitement here. It's like a whole thrill," said Bush, a Rosemont freshman. "You really get excited knowing the fact that you actually have the opportunity to change your life and do something with your life, and all the goal and purpose you want to go for, you can actually go for it now."

"These kids and everybody involved have put in a lot of hard work to get to this point, and they all know they got a lot of hard work to go before they graduate from college," said John McConnell, school founder and president.

One hundred percent of the school's seniors from last year were admitted to colleges and universities, and are there this fall. All are reportedly succeeding in their freshman year.