ROCHESTER, N.Y. — President Donald Trump’s proposed education changes may affect federal funding, but Rochester student Jahmere Brown secured a full scholarship to Notre Dame through hard work and support from his college counseling team.

At Rochester Prep High School, college preparation starts early. From kindergarten, students walk the halls lined with banners of prestigious universities, fostering a college-going mindset from day one.

What You Need To Know

  • Jahmere Brown, a student-athlete at Rochester Prep High School, earned a full scholarship to the University of Notre Dame through the QuestBridge program

  • Rochester Prep emphasizes early college preparation, with a dedicated counseling team helping students navigate financial aid and applications

  • Jahmere’s perseverance in academics and basketball, along with strong support from his mentors, played a key role in his success

"Our visual culture is all about promoting what our students can do. We have leaders in the community and in our country, all over the wall so that they know that they can attain that as well," said Rachel Dominic, director of college counseling at Rochester Prep High School.

For the 17-year-old Brown, years of balancing academics and basketball have paid off. He earned a spot at Notre Dame through the competitive QuestBridge scholarship, which supports high-achieving students from underprivileged backgrounds in reaching top colleges.

"I had to email schools. I had to write essays. Paragraphs on top of paragraphs on top of paragraphs," expressed Brown.

Gamal Gilchrist worked side by side with Jahmere to make sure he reached his college dream.

"I think the first thing I told him and his mom was, guess what, I'm going to push you for you, but I'm not going to drag you across the finish line. And he just works very hard at everything he does. Just the tenacity that I see him with, every day. And, you know, his peers love him as well, he's just a great kid," added Gilchrist, a college counselor at Rochester Prep.

The full impact of what disbanding the Department of Education would look like is still unclear, but Dominic said programs like QuestBridge are essential.

"The financial aspect is incredibly important. We help them through FAFSA, the CSS profile, all the aspects of money, scholarships, applications and whatever we can do to help," Dominic added. 

"It was hard, but I had a great team to help me," said Brown. His mother, Marquita Anderson, is overwhelmed with pride for her son’s achievement.

"Knowing that my baby boy, my only boy, is going off to college. And not just any college. He's going to Notre Dame on a full ride. I can't even put it in words like, it's just amazing," expressed Anderson.

Now, as Brown prepares for his next chapter, he has some advice for students coming up behind him.

"Stay consistent. Don’t be afraid to ask for help," he advised.

His mother also raved about how he could have gotten a basketball scholarship, which she would have been proud of, but it makes her even happier that his academics got him into a top-rated school.