Achievement Institute Of Scientific Studies

AISS College to Career Readiness STEM Program

The goal of Achievement Institute’s College to Career Readiness STEM Program is to provide minority low-income students in Orange County with a clear college to career pathway in the STEM fields to ensure they obtain gainful employment and break the cycle of poverty in their families. We accomplish this by providing students with a full array of support services, including: ● Career counseling, ● Educational goals/business planning, ● Exposure opportunities in the STEM fields, ● Mentorships from professionals in the STEM fields, ● Participation in STEM project-based learning and hands-on activities, ● Life/soft skills training, ● Cultural capital building, ● Financial education, ● Scholarships, grants, and Financial Aid application assistance, ● Advanced SAT/ACT preparation, ● College application assistance, ● College Navigation, ● Parent support, and ● Alumni engagement. The Achievement Institute’s outcome-driven model is a two-year program with the first year focused on STEM career awareness, and the second year concentrated on college readiness. Life skills training is incorporated throughout the program. Scholars research and learn about STEM fields that align with their career interests. They are also exposed to professionals in those fields via educational trips, guest lectures, networking events, one-to-one mentorship, Q & A panels, and externship opportunities. Parents also are involved through workshops and college campus tours. The comprehensive program serves 25 student scholars (gifted in math, science, and technology) who are recruited from seven high school partners in Santa Ana. Students participate in over 200 hours of after school, weekend, and summer hands-on learning activities per year. During the COVID-19 pandemic, our programs are presently conducted virtually through online meetings, seminars, and group interactions. The program begins with an intensive eight-week (Monday – Friday) summer session before their junior year in high school. Our current group of scholars is just completing their junior year of high school and preparing to enter year two of the program. A second eight-week summer session precedes the senior year. During the fall and spring semesters of both academic years, the program continues with two weekend sessions per month. By the time they graduate from the program, Achievement Institute participants are ready to succeed in a competitive four-year university and their respective careers. Unique to our program, our scholars create an educational business portfolio to help them navigate the college admission process. The portfolio includes research and identification of the student’s top ten universities and scholarships, ten essays created by the scholars along with two personal statements, their personal and college profile, implementation strategy, resume, and contact card. Scholars learn to use these contact cards to network at events for potential career programs, employment opportunities, and partnerships. Our goal is to assist scholars in selecting the right college/university based on their interest and fully preparing for admission to ensure they are accepted into colleges of their choosing. The Achievement Institute continues to track and engage with alumni well after they graduate from our program. They proudly return to volunteer with current scholars as guest speakers, writing and math instructors, mentors, and even board members.