UCSB Early Academic Outreach Presents Higher Education Week

The Early Academic Outreach Program (EAOP) at UC Santa Barbara will hold its fall Higher Education Week, a four-day event beginning October 16. Representatives from universities, colleges, and other institutions of higher education will visit high school campuses in the Santa Maria, Lompoc, Santa Barbara, Carpinteria, Oxnard, and Fillmore school districts to meet with high school seniors to discuss post-secondary education opportunities.

Presentations, which will be followed by college fairs and breakout sessions on financial aid and college admissions, will take place at Lompoc, Righetti, and Santa Maria High Schools on Tuesday, October 16. On Wednesday, October 17, the event will move to San Marcos, Santa Barbara, and Carpinteria High Schools. A Family Event for parents and students will begin at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday evening at Santa Paula High School. On Thursday, October 18, presentations will continue at Channel Islands, Hueneme, and Oxnard High Schools. The week will conclude with visits to Pacifica, Rio Mesa, and Fillmore High Schools on Friday, October 19.

In all, more than 4,000 high school seniors will engage representatives from the UC, Cal State, and Community College systems, as well as from private colleges and universities such as Colorado State University-Pueblo; the University of New Mexico; the University of Massachusetts, Lowell; and Johnson & Wales University. Also participating will be representatives from the Santa Barbara Scholarship Foundation, as well as from various Career Technical Education (CTE) programs at regional community colleges.

"Higher Education Week is our largest annual College Going Initiative of the year," said Britt Ortiz, EAOP director. Collaborating with high schools and other pre-college programs allows EAOP to maximize college access and financial aid awareness for seniors as they prepare for the transition into higher education, he added.

"For many first generation students, this will be the first college fair that they have attended," Ortiz continued. "This is an incredible opportunity for high schools to host this many college reps, at their school site, on one day, for so many students. We are also very excited about having Santa Barbara, San Marcos, and Carpinteria high schools participating in HEW all on the same day."

The mission of the EAOP is to raise student achievement, and to close achievement gaps so opportunities for postsecondary education become available to greater numbers of students. EAOP uses four key strategies –– academic advising, college knowledge, academic enrichment, and entrance exam preparation –– to successfully help students reach college eligibility and participate in higher education.

A variety of pre-college programs offered annually gives students the opportunity to visit UCSB, tour labs and meet with faculty members, and conduct research or participate in other academic enrichment activities. Among the programs and services are annual transcript evaluation; academic advisement; academic achievers receptions; study skills and testing strategies; College Readiness seminars; the Education, Leadership, Careers Conference; UC Success Night; and Summer Algebra Academies.

Related Links

Early Academic Outreach Program

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