Mission

ECAP's mission is to inspire and empower middle school students to plan for and attain a college degree. Most of the students who attend our seminars will become the first in their family to go to college. We recognize that these students and their parents do not have access to all the resources, information, and tools required for entry into the world of higher education. ECAP seeks to provide the information and help build the skill set these students need to better understand how to apply to and pay for college as well as how to succeed once on campus. Simply put, ECAP strives to be that crucial first step on the road to a college degree.

While the knowledge that we provide is valuable, equally important are the self-confidence and inspiration that come from gaining that knowledge. We strive to help families understand that a college degree is not only within their reach but also a means of assuring that their children will be invaluable members of the higher education communities that we know many of them will join in future.

The Program

Each year, the Early College Awareness Program offers a free half-day seminar that helps get Bay Area middle school students and parents thinking about the college preparatory process early. We hope this will vastly increase the students' odds of success. The program includes:

• Academic and Financial Aid Workshops. These workshops are hosted by academic and financial aid from various colleges and universities and other education-oriented organizations. These professionals provide an overview of the information and tools students and parents need to reach their goal of earning an advanced degree. Past participants have included financial aid and admission officers from Stanford, UC Berkeley, University of San Francisco, Mills College, and others.
• Student panels. Our student panels include high school seniors who have just finished the application process and local college students, all of whom are the first in their family to attend college. These students provide insights into various aspects of college life, including academics, extracurricular activities, sports, work study, and just having fun. Because our student panelists have sat in the same seats as those in the audience, their perspective is particularly relevant to the families in attendance.
• Parent panels. Parents of current college students share their experiences in preparing their students for college. Topics include how to get started, where to find resources, and how to help motivate and inspire one's child. As with the student panel, the format is interactive in nature so that the discussion focuses on is the subjects that are most on the minds of audience members.
• Networking. Over lunch, students and parents get a chance to informally mingle with other local families, representatives of community groups, college advisors, and the Harvard and other college alumni of our volunteer staff.
• Community Partners. ECAP has identified various community groups that offer mentoring, summer jobs, essay writing, SAT and other tutoring, and financial aid to students such as our attendees. Many of these organizations send representatives to our seminar to explain how families can benefit from the many services they offer and answer questions about their offerings.
• Resource Packet. In addition to providing access to the various professionals and representatives who attend the seminar, we hand out to each family a packet of detailed materials for them to reference as they move forward in their college planning efforts.

Who We Are

The Early College Awareness Program is sponsored by the Harvard Club of San Francisco, an organization for alumni of Harvard University. With the support of the Superintendent of Middle Schools, we piloted the program in 2006 at Aptos Middle School, with thirty-two participants and a volunteer staff of two.

In 2007, we launched ECAP city-wide and increased our attendance almost tenfold, broadening out organization base to include SFUSD, Boys and Girls club and KIPP staff, 15 volunteer speakers, and a volunteer planning team of more than 20 Harvard Club members and their friends. Currently in our third year, we are expecting our 2008 seminar to be our best yet!