CrossRoads Initiative

According to an estimate from the US ambassador to Bangladesh, currently, there are 8,000 Bangladeshi students pursuing higher studies in the USA. 12,00,000 students are passing each year with the public universities having a capacity of retaining 500, 000 of them (estimate). Students have to sit for an exam that typically determines what they are going to do for the rest of their lives, with the system being completely ignorant to a student's past profile. 

The social system has created a notion which establishes ideas like applying abroad is expensive and only students from English Medium background can make it. With an ample amount of students dreaming to get into BUET, DMC and all the other public schools in Bangladesh, the rare few who dare to extend their feet to apply abroad to avoid the uncertainty of such system, take a thousand step back for the lack of information, that too, motivation. 

Here, CrossRoads Initiative pitches in to make students aware of the possibilities. Sadid Hasan, a current Minerva Schools sophomore, along with his friends embarked on a mission to increase the number of Bangladeshi applicants through their initiative. This mentor-mentee network aspires to showcase stories of successes of applying abroad and help students reach out to individuals who have been in their shoes and overcame the hurdles. The opportunities aren't only confined to students but also for teachers who are very likely to be sent to visit the US schools to become a part of the global counsellors' network. 

Team CrossRoads Initiative has already been hosted by the EMK Center and Adamjee Cant. School and College to inspire students and teachers. They hope to reach out to students from each and every corner of the country with examples like Ishika from Dinajpur going to Harvard this year, Zawad making it to MIT from Chittagong, Seeam to make it to Harvard from Mirzapur Cadet College to make it to their dream schools.