A University of California initiative launched this summer will help high school students complete missing course work and better prepare them to attend a UC or California State University campus.
SummerUp targets the thousands of students who fall short of meeting UC and CSU admissions criteria by only one course, typically a math class such as algebra II. The six-week program is expected to serve 350 California high school students in its first summer and will include classroom instruction, tutorial support, online courses, customized interventions and a range of support services focused on increasing college-going rates.
“SummerUp will support California high school students who are just a small step away from getting to college,” said UC President Janet Napolitano. “This is one way the University of California is addressing the state’s critical educational needs: improving college readiness, increasing community college transfer rates and expanding access to our public colleges and universities.”
The SummerUp program focuses on helping 11th graders complete college preparatory math courses required for UC and CSU admission, and it prepares them for college-level math, reducing the need for later remediation. SummerUp will also help high school seniors complete transferable math courses when they enroll at a community college, allowing them to more quickly transfer to a four-year college or university.
“SummerUp is focused not only on course completion but on instilling confidence in students about their math abilities, abstract thinking and practical problem solving skills,” said Yvette Gullatt, vice provost and chief outreach officer for Education Partnerships, which manages UC initiatives and services that improve learning outcomes. “This new program will help students build a strong foundation for future coursework and real-life applications.”
UC campuses will partner with local high schools and community colleges in the first offering of SummerUp:
- Berkeley: Castlemont High School, Oakland High School, Oakland Technical High School, Skyline High School and Chabot College
- Irvine: Compton High School
- Los Angeles: San Fernando High School and Mission Community College
- Merced: Merced High School, Golden Valley High School, LeGrand High School, Delhi High School and Merced College
- Riverside: Perris High School and Mt. San Jacinto College
- San Diego: Central Union High School, Southwest High School and Imperial Valley College
- Santa Barbara: Carpinteria High School and Santa Barbara Community College