In the fall of 2006, Aim High launched a new initiative, the Student Center, which has focused on providing a wide range of support services for Aim High students and graduates during their years in high school.  Many Aim High students reported that they were “lost” when they entered high school, as many attend very large public high schools with hundreds and sometimes thousands of students and little individualized attention and support.  When Aim High conducted a needs assessment/survey with its graduates in high school, students and their parents overwhelmingly responded that they wanted Aim High to provide college counseling support and financial aid workshops.

Over the course of the last year and a half, Aim High has piloted the Student Center, coordinating a wide range of services for students, including tutoring support for current students, and workshops, college counseling resources and referrals to programs for graduates.   We know there are students who are not currently accessing our services and need additional support to ensure their successful preparation for and transition to college.  Aim High seeks to have an even greater impact on our graduates by targeting a group of students who need more intensive, ongoing and personalized support.  We are in the research and design phase of a new program Aiming Higher, which will target students who are first generation to attend college from their families, those who do not have access to college counseling and support in their high school, and those who need additional support beyond what their families and schools can provide.  See Alumni Resources for more information on this exciting program.