DIRECT SERVICE CONTRIBUTIONS

CEP efforts create a ripple effect across communities. Our direct service and outreach initiatives impact students, families, educators, and everyone striving for equity in college access. Specifically, our unique and dynamic programs offer a combination of intensive cohort services and comprehensive school-wide support for middle school, high school, and community college students across our Bay Area partner sites.

These services include:

  • Personalized student 1-on-1 and drop-in advising
  • Informative college workshops and events for students and families
  • Comprehensive support for college applications and financial aid
  • School college fairs
  • College tours and field trips
  • High quality academic enrichment and engaging early college credit
Group picture of TAP student's at Cal

ACADEMIC ENRICHMENT PROGRAMS

Several programs in CEP offer academic programming to middle and high school students.  These academic enrichment programs are offered during the academic year as well as in the summer.  Most of our enrichment programs take place at UC Berkeley to offer students a positive pre-college experience on a major university campus.  The programs vary in length and content, but are mission driven, helping students to become stronger college applicants and prepare for the academic rigors of the following school year and beyond. 

COMMUTER PROGRAMS

  • EAOP's Pre-College Academy (PCA)
  • EAOP's Summer Sessions
  • TAP's Summer Enrichment Program (SEP)
  • TAP's NIH Bridges to Baccalaureate (B2B)
  • UB's Saturday College
  • EBC's Pre-Collegiate Academy (PCA)

RESIDENTIAL PROGRAMS

  • DCAC Pre-College Scholars
  • NAF Future Ready Scholars at UC Berkeley
  • TAP into Cal
  • UB/UBMS Academic Summer Residential Program

NAF @ UC Berkeley Summer 2023

COLLEGE-GOING CULTURE

College-Going Culture (CGC) refers to the environment, attitudes, and practices in schools and communities that encourage students and families to obtain the information, tools, and perspective to enhance access to and success in post-secondary education.

Fundamentals:

  • As early as elementary school, students begin to learn about options for their futures and the education required for certain careers, with a specific focus starting in middle school.
  • Schools convey the expectation that all students can prepare for the opportunity to attend and be successful in post-secondary education.
  • Schools, families, and communities all reinforce the same message of high expectations for a student’s future.

Providing college access to our undocumented students is part of that fundamental commitment....Entitled, "You Belong Here" Watch this video(link is external) about UC Berkeley celebrating the opening of the Robert D. Haas Undocumented Community Resource Center. This video showcases students’ powerful stories about their immigrant journeys and the value of community and belonging.

The Nine Elements of College-Going Culture

Professor Patricia McDonough of UCLA has identified nine critical interrelated elements that together help schools build and strengthen a college-going culture. These nine elements are:

  • College Talk
  • Clear Expectations
  • Information and Resources
  • Comprehensive Counseling Model
  • Testing and Curriculum
  • Faculty Involvement
  • Family Involvement
  • College Partnerships
  • Articulation

Strategies for Building College-Going Culture

Step 1: Initiate a conversation with the school community and review the present college-going culture at the site.

It is important that everyone at the school site be aware of school-specific data on student achievement and college-going indicators, such as college prep course completion, universal access  to college entrance exams, FAFSA completion, and college-going rates.

Step 2: Assess and build college-going culture.

  • Inventory and assess present activities and challenges
  • Determine one to three of the nine college-going elements to work on
  • Establish a few goals for the year under each college-going element
  • Develop an action implementation plan for each goal

Remember: start with doable goals (for example, set up a college corner in every classroom)