CHANGE MAKERS: Resources and Information
Programs of support available to you.
Explore these free programs that are available for low-income students, first generation students and/or students of specific underserved communities.
Free Programs for high school students
These programs include college readiness support and unique programs of enrichment.
The ChangeMakers mentorship program is a program where underclassmen are guided by Juniors and Seniors on the best steps for them to reach their goals. With this program, we want to increase awareness on college readiness steps and available programs, and create a greater college-going culture for students from groups who are traditionally underrepresented in higher education.
Applying to college can seem daunting, and the prospect of paying for it can seem even more overwhelming. But it doesn’t have to be. The College Prep Scholars Program equips high-achieving high school juniors from low-income backgrounds with the knowledge, confidence, and resources to apply to top colleges.
The Experience Berkeley Program for High School Students (EBHS) is a free 10-month program that provides Black, Latinx, & Native American rising high school seniors with mentors, tools, and resources to complete a competitive UC college application and the opportunity to get a close, personal look at UC Berkeley.
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Upward bound is one of the 8 TRIO programs. UB provides free services and activities on a year round basis to motivate and prepare students for success in education beyond high school. Students accepted into the program make a serious commitment to their academic education. Parents/guardians are also expected to make a commitment by attending meetings and ensuring that students meet their program responsibilities.
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The BRRC is a student-initiated, AND entirely student run organization at the University of California, Berkeley that was founded in 1983. The purpose of the BRRC is to supplement, expand, and create efforts on campus and within the community toward the recruitment and retention of Black students.
BRRC Runs the Bay Area College Tour (BACT): BACT is a four day program that is designed to expose low-income high school sophomores and juniors to the possibilities of higher education, especially at the institutions in the Bay.
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Matriculate’s mission is to empower high-achieving, low-income high school students to make the leap to our best colleges and universities.
"We train talented college students at top institutions to connect remotely with high-achieving, low-income high school students, providing the information, guidance, and support that these high school students need to navigate the college process."
At ECHS, your EAOP advisers are Mr. W and Ms. Kaylyn.
EAOP prepares students for college by creating a community of young scholars through college preparatory advising and academic enrichment opportunities
The Raices K-12 Recruitment and Development Committee holds the HYPHEE Program: Helping Youth Pursue Higher Education Early for Bay Area Latinx high school Seniors.
HYPHEE aims to demystify the college application process for Latinx high school seniors by pairing them with UC Berkeley students and providing them with the necessary resources to succeed. It is a FREE 5-week long mentorship program that provides guidance for completing the UC, CSU, and CC applications.
Juniors (Class of 2024) Must apply by March 4th!
The Rising Stars Program recognizes students with potential and understands the obstacles they must overcome. Investing in first-generation students in the nine county San Francisco Bay Area.
This application is for Students Rising Above Rising Stars Program for HIGH SCHOOL JUNIORS graduating in Spring 2024.
Selected students will receive mentoring support, financial assistance, and college and career guidance.
Mara Bravo-Santos
Upward Bound:
"I LOVE UB and have a whole lot to say...I applied to Upward Bound TRIO and its residential program in 9th grade. I knew that I wanted to go to college, but I didn't know the steps to get there. It was the best decision I could have made for myself.
I gained access to year-round mentors who truly cared to guide me and see me succeed. I took part in every 9AM Saturday Academy for college fairs and SAT preparation.
The residential program granted me the opportunity to see myself walk the steps of a college student while living in a dorm on UC Berkeley’s campus. I took classes I never knew existed. Computer science workshops introduced me to the STEM field and I gained coding skills.
Upward Bound organized college trips throughout the school year, and my friends and I visited schools like UC San Diego, San Diego State, Sacramento State, Chico State, UC Davis, and more!
I recommend Upward Bound to every low-income and/or first-generation student. It is truly a once in a lifetime experience filled with constant learning and growing."
Kylie Creighton
Questbridge College Match:
“I did the College Match Program and it is basically a college application that you complete super early (in September of your senior year). You answer a long essay question and write short answer responses as well. You must have 2 letters of recommendation and be financially eligible. Applying to college through Questbridge was worth it for me even though I did not match through Questbridge. I was a Questbridge finalist, so even though I didn’t match with any of the schools that I ranked the first time, my application rolled over to Stanford’s regular decision process and I was accepted! The college application process would have been a lot more tedious if I had to apply individually to all of these universities. It paid off to have all of this work out of the way early on.”
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Jordan White
Rising Scholars, ECHS College and Career Center/School Counselor:
Jordan found out about college readiness resources through the college and career center and Ms. Ng at El Cerrito High School. She went on an 11-day bus tour of Historically Black Colleges and Universities including Spelman, Morehouse, Clark, FISK, and Prairie View A&M (the school she attends now). When first introduced to the concept, she could not believe that this program was free and accessible to her. Jordan’s counselor at El Cerrito High School recommended her to the college tour through Rising Scholars, a program meant for Black and Brown men but accepting girls. Jordan explained, “On the tour, I spoke with university presidents, and got incredibly excited about going to college. I was visiting while these schools were in session, so I got to eat lunch with students. I got to see historical places and a lot of Black monuments, it was eye-opening.” Jordan went on about what it meant to be able to see life in the South, “I realized I’m really smart, sometimes I may not speak the way others do in an academic setting, but I do not always have to code switch.”
Ahmed Muhammad
EAOP, DCAC, Matriculate, Tech's Sat Prep:
Ahmed participated in EAOP, DCAC, Matriculate, and SAT preparation provided by Oakland Technical High School– all of these programs are reserved for low-income and/or first generation students to move towards higher education. From his freshman to senior year, Ahmed was in the Early Academic Outreach Program, a program founded by the University of California geared to support first-generation, socioeconomically disadvantaged, and/or English-language learners in reaching post-secondary education and opportunities. His EAOP mentor planned out his courses for his four years of high school. Ahmed explains, “I wouldn't have been able to overcome the obstacles that I faced as a first-generation student if I didn’t have that guidance and mentorship, it was so important to me.” In his sophomore and junior years, Ahmed had access to SAT tutoring through his school, however this was only accessible for a limited number of students. He compares these resources to those that he had as an 8th grade student at Head Royce and that his younger sister still had as she attended the school. He says, “my counselor at Tech had about 500 students. At Head Royce, counselors have 5-20 students each,” and continued “my sister has to be on the outskirts, socially, but she has well funded clubs and top notch classroom materials and science-related resources. I never even had a lab for my science class at Tech. I had a much better highschool experience socially, but academically, I would have had better resources if I had stayed at Head Royce.” During the stressful months of the college application process, Ahmed explains that Matriculate paired him with an advisor who served as his one-on-one mentor, helping him write and revise his college essays.
-More To Come
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