UC Academic Preparation: Expanding Educational Horizons

The University of California's pre-college academic preparation and educational partnership efforts seek to raise student achievement levels generally and to close achievement gaps between groups of students throughout K-20 schools. These efforts encompass:

1. Student-centered programs that provide tutoring, mentoring, academic preparation, college counseling and other services directly related to K-12 students;
2. School and community partnerships that offer curriculum development, direct instruction, community engagement and other assistance to many of California's lowest-performing schools and underserved communities;
3. Professional development programs to increase the skills and effectiveness of teachers and administrators.
4. Programs that help community college students plan for transfer and advise students about graduate and professional school study.

Explore the menu at left to learn more about these efforts.

UC Program Highlights
In 2006, more than 117,000 students participated in UC-led academic preparation programs, nearly 100,000 teachers were served by the professional development programs, and UC-school partnerships were extended to 377 California schools.

Academic preparation programs are reaching students earlier in their academic careers, with the goal of improving academic performance and college preparation over the duration of their school years. More than one-half of UC's partner schools are elementary schools, and more than one-fourth of all students participating in UC's K-12 programs are below the ninth grade.

Participants in UC academic preparation programs now account for 30 percent of African American UC freshmen and 33 percent of Latino UC freshmen.