Choosing a college was a big decision for Jonathan Bush, a soon-to-be first-generation college student.

Thinking about higher education, Bush, 18, expected that he would stay put in his familiar environment in Houston and pick a local school.

However, his horizons expanded and he learned about Northeastern University when he was admitted into EMERGE—a free program at the Houston Independent School District that helps first-generation and low-income students attend and graduate from the nation’s top colleges and universities.

After touring a few other schools, Bush, who will be attending D’Amore-McKim School of Business in the fall, put Northeastern at the top of his list and declared an early decision.

Read more from Northeastern Global News.

Photo by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University