Charter school students celebrate 100% college acceptance

Los Angeles, CA – In a joyous celebration, more than 8,000 students, families and educators gathered at USC’s Galen Center on Tuesday for a milestone event: Ednovate’s ninth annual Decision Day.

Ednovate Network is a group of six high-performance public college preparatory charter schools in Southern California, established in partnership with the University of Southern California. The school operates on a research-driven model that is meant to prepare students for higher education, leading to a notable track record.

Founded with a mission to create “positive multigenerational change,” Ednovate schools operate in diverse communities across Los Angeles and Orange County. Approximately 82% of students come from historically underserved areas.

This year was especially momentous for students and families as the network’s graduating seniors recently reached 100% college acceptance, receiving an astounding $48+ million in scholarship offers. The achievement comes with staggering numbers: according to Ednovate’s website, every graduating senior in the Class of 2025 was accepted to at least one four-year college, with more than 4,500 individual admissions letters pouring in from over 260 institutions nationwide.

Students earned spots at some of the nation’s most prestigious universities, including Stanford, USC, NYU, Johns Hopkins and the University of Pennsylvania, alongside California powerhouses like UCLA, UC Berkeley, and multiple Cal State campuses.

But perhaps most significant is that 99% of the graduating seniors are students of color. Many will be the first in their families to attend college. 

“Decision Day is a powerful milestone for Ednovate families and our students – many of whom are children of immigrants and are achieving the American dream,” said Oliver Sicat, CEO of Ednovate. “Decision Day is a celebration of their hard work, their resilience and their commitment to creating positive multigenerational change. Today, our students aren’t just announcing their chosen next steps – they’re transforming their lives for themselves and their families, and inspiring all of us. We are so proud of them.”

Sicat commended the students on their hard work and emphasized that it took a village of 

dedicated staff and educators to make this milestone possible. “Every acceptance letter, every scholarship offer, every commitment to serve, every pathway chosen is a testament to their incredible potential, and the unwavering support of our Ednovate school leaders, teachers and staff,” he said. 

For Ednovate faculty, the work continues. But on this May afternoon in Los Angeles, the message was clear: the future is here, and it’s wearing caps and gowns.