OUR STORIES

The Christel House Mexico Class of 2025 has achieved a historic milestone as 14 students have been accepted to UNAM (Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México), the country’s most prestigious public university. With an acceptance rate of just 10% nationally, UNAM is often compared to the Ivy League universities in the United States. Yet this year, 33% of Christel House applicants were admitted, making them more than three times more likely to gain entry than their peers across Mexico. “It’s incredible news,” said Harry Guest La Vercombe, College & Careers Coordinator at Christel House Mexico. “UNAM is our top school, public or private.”  But beyond the numbers, it’s the stories about the Class of 2025 that make this year’s results truly unforgettable.

“It’s been a year with a lot of work around restructuring, organizing, listening, and reacting to make the structural change necessary for these kinds of results,” Harry reflects. “But for me, the impact feels greatest when I look at each story. One student was convinced he wasn’t smart enough to study at a university—I was so glad he could prove himself wrong with hard work and care. Two best friends who have been challenging each other all year to be better than the day before, scoring 100 and 101 out of 120 respectively and now with plans to study together at university—how beautiful that they don’t have to take this next step alone! Having 12 students in the same school creates community. It gives you friends to rely on and to share the stress and burden of leaving Christel House with. Each story is beautiful in its own unique way, and having twelve of them is indescribable.”

The full picture of the Class of 2025’s achievements is just as inspiring. With 23 graduates already accepted into higher education programs and more decisions still to come, this year is a powerful affirmation of Christel House’s mission to break the cycle of poverty through education.

Graduates are continuing their studies at a wide range of top-tier public and private institutions across Mexico, many on full or near-full scholarships:

• 3 students were accepted to UNISA (Universidad de la Salud)—a tuition-free public university focused on healthcare in rural communities. Two will study medicine, and one nursing.
• 3 students earned admission to UACM (Universidad Autónoma de la Ciudad de México) in nutrition, environmental science, and urban mobility engineering.
• 2 students will attend Tecnológico Nacional de México, pursuing degrees in industrial design and AI engineering.
• 6 students enrolled in low-cost private universities in fields including finance, acting, interior design, gastronomy, and nursing.
• 3 students received 100% scholarships to Universidad Iberoamericana, one of Mexico’s premier private universities, to study global business, architecture, and psychology.
• 2 students were awarded 95% scholarships to CENTRO, a top private art and design university, studying creative computation and marketing.
• 5 students gained admission to UAM (Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana) in disciplines like civil engineering, administration, biology, food science, and metallurgy.
• 5 more were accepted to IPN (Instituto Politécnico Nacional)—Mexico’s leading public university for engineering—in areas such as tourism, industrial administration, public accounting, and industrial chemical engineering.

Congratulations to the CHMX Class of 2025. Your ambition, discipline, and resilience are a testament to what is possible when opportunity meets determination.