CARS is a college access program that provides a college degree path to “first-in-family” students and their parents/guardians who “don’t know what they don’t know” about the rigors and requirements for college preparation, attendance and completion. We first begin working with our students in the 9th grade to ensure they have the guidance and resources early in their high school years to pick the right classes; keep their grades up; excel on exams; explore college and university options; and research financial aid, grants, and scholarships. This early intervention vastly increases our students’ success in high school and college. Our mission is to prepare motivated under served students from low income, low performing high schools in the South Bay region of the Los Angeles area to attend and complete post-secondary education at CSU and UC -- or equivalent -- campuses. CARS is designed to be an on-campus, one-stop cohort program targeting freshmen. Leuzinger High School in Lawndale, CA, is our launch campus. CARS achieves its objectives through the following activities: ● Alter academic pathways by making A-G tutoring a means to improve GPAs and parental involvement ● Provide college admissions coaching ● Provide college literacy to students and parents starting in the freshman year ● Encourage peer academic support and community voluntary service to instill a sense of empowerment
