College Readiness Program
ACI’s College Readiness Program is a rigorous, 4-year program for first-generation, low-income and minority high school students. Students spend two Saturdays a month on college campuses involved in the “STEM” (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) course. The first Saturday covers fields such as biodiversity, cancer biology, innovative technologies and alternative energy sources, while the next course is dedicated to “College Readiness”, which explores the skills and steps necessary to succeed in high school, as well as enroll and succeed in college. During the summer, students also participate in residential summer academies to earn college credit, explore STEM and liberal arts coursework, and shadow career professionals on STEM corporate and community sites. College Readiness students receive one-on-one college coaching to ensure high school success and an effective transition to college.
Since launching in 1996, ACI’s College Readiness Program has received multiple awards from the National College Access Network, the Workforce Board of Metropolitan Chicago and the Foundation for Independent Higher Education. It's posted outstanding results including 99% of its participants graduate high school on-time and 95% enroll in college immediately following high school graduation. Also, graduating College Readiness students are much more selective than their classmates when considering colleges and enroll in 4-year colleges at double the rate of their classmates.
ACI Success Story
"ACI taught me to look at things differently and gave me the opportunity to experience college."
Maribel dreamed of graduating high school and entering college – but she faced seemingly insurmountable barriers. Confined to a wheelchair, this young Hispanic woman was told she would never do well, that everything would be harder for her. “But as strong as the negative and unjust views of the world can be,” says Maribel, “there are things that are stronger and drive me to go on with my education.”
ACI’s College Readiness Program, a four-year, year-round program of academic enrichment and college access information, has helped Maribel graduate from high school and map the road to college. Maribel says: “ACI has given me new hope. I always thought that my options were very limited because of not having the money to pay for it. ACI taught me to look at things differently and gave me the opportunity to experience college. All of these things have helped me be less afraid of things to come.”
ACI’s College Readiness team helped Maribel connect to Trinity Christian College, which awarded her the scholarship she needed to make her college dreams come true. Maribel is set to graduate from Trinity Christian College soon.
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