Cabrillo College 4th Grade Experience
Cabrillo College partners with the Santa Cruz County College and Career Collaborative to provide all 4th grade students with a glimpse of the college experience. During their college visit, students take a tour, where they see college classrooms and gathering spaces as well as some of the various student group activities such as music, film club, and athletics. Students also watch a presentation by Cabrillo faculty members designed to spark their interest in a wide array of career possibilities.
The goal of the Cabrillo College Experience is for students to see their future college potential, know there are student communities to fit their interests, and demonstrate that college is an attainable goal.
Research supports that visiting a college before sixth grade increases the chance students will attend. At the 4th Grade Experience, Cabrillo demonstrates that postsecondary education can be a part of any student’s future.
7th Grade College and Career Summits
In 2013 the Santa Cruz County College and Career Collaborative established a partnership with the University of California, Santa Cruz and California State University, Monterey Bay to provide all 7th grade students a college-going experience. The 7th Grade College and Career Summits help build connections for students from the school-work they are doing now, to future college and career possibilities. The Summits are designed to help students realize their college and career aspirations, understand the specific steps necessary to be successful on their postsecondary pathway, and gain the confidence to achieve their goals.
Prior to the Summits students complete curriculum activities related to college requirements, financial aid awareness and career exploration. At the Summit, students participate in an interactive student panel where they learn from college students about their path to college, their interests, student supports on campus, and the many ways they can find community at their chosen college. The goal of the Summit is for students to enter 8th grade with a clearer sense of the requirements for college, the options available to pay for college, and excitement for their future.
