PUHSD College Prep Programs & Community Resources

Achieving a College Education Program (ACE)  - ACE is a nationally recognized program that targets students who may not consider going to college and attaining a bachelor's degree as an achievable goal.  This unique program is specifically designed to help students make a smooth transition from high school to an accredited community college, then moving on to a university in order to complete a bachelor's degree.

ACE students are high school juniors and seniors currently enrolled in college courses while they are attending regular high school. Throughout these two years, ACE students take classes on a community college campus in order to experience and acclimate to a college environment in a real-time setting.

Advanced Placement Courses - Through college-level AP courses, you enter a universe of knowledge that might otherwise remain unexplored in high school; through AP exams, you have the opportunity to earn credit or advanced standing at most of the nation's colleges and universities.  AP offers something for everyone and the only requirements are a strong curiosity about the subject you plan to study and the willingness to work hard.  Advanced Placement courses are in the disciplines of English, mathematics, science, social studies, computer studies, art and foreign languages.  Students enrolled in an AP class are required to take the AP examination.  Financial assistance is available for the cost of the exam.

African American Men of Arizona State University (AAMASU) - The African American Men of Arizona State University (AAMASU) is a student organization and High School-to-College (H2C) Program focused on increasing the recruitment, retention, and graduation rates of African American male high school and college students.

The AAMASU High School to College (H2C) Program is an early outreach initiative offering free college prep workshops and mentoring to high schools students and their parents in the Greater Phoenix Metropolitan Area to prepare students for the realties of college life - college enrollment, retention, and graduation. 

AGUILA Youth Leadership Institute (AGUILA) -    AGUILA Youth Leadership Institute (AGUILA)  is a unique program that increases college enrollment and, more importantly, graduation rates for Latino/as. Are we unique? We would like to think so. However, we do not believe our approach is  rocket science . We believe we are moving forward because we are stepping backward - back to our roots, our beliefs, our traditions, our values and determination that is so much a part of who we are as a people.

American Dream Academy (ADA) -  The ADA Parent Education Program, coordinated by the Arizona State University Center for Community Development and Civil Rights, is based on curriculum developed by the Parent Institute for Quality Education (PIQE) in California, which uses an intense, one-on-one contact model to create a community in which parents and teachers collaborate to transform each child's educational environment at home and at school.

Arizona State University Education Partnerships - Of all the relationships Arizona State University has with its several constituents, none is more critical than that with Arizona's Pre-K-12 education community. Arizona State University is stepping up to the challenge in Pre-K-12 education through the establishment of the Office of the Vice President for Education Partnerships. The concept of Arizona State University as a "New American University" and the vision of Education Partnerships are intertwined as both seek to embed the university's resources and activities to make a difference in the education of Arizona's youth.

AVID - AVID is a fourth- through twelfth-grade system to prepare students in the academic middle for four-year college eligibility.   It has a proven track record in bringing out the best in students, and in closing the achievement gap.   AVID stands for Advancement Via Individual Determination.

Be A Leader Foundation - The Be A Leader Foundation (BALF) focuses on helping disadvantaged and minority students ("Participants") develop their talents and abilities. BALF teaches them how to build their leadership skills to achieve their aspirations. The organization advocates such core values as integrity first, excellence in all we do, and treating people with dignity and respect. The organization emphasizes building trust and confidence in relationships, developing the self-confidence needed to both lead and follow, and formulating and implementing ethical and value-based decisions.

College Depot - College Depot, a service provided by the City of Phoenix Burton Barr Library, is dedicated to p roviding students with access to full-service college planning through outreach, guidance, resources and referrals.  Some of the services College Depot offers include workshops on college readiness, financial aid, scholarships, college applications, personal statements and test preparation.  They also offer one-on-one assistance with the college application process as well as access to college planning software with interest inventory and college, scholarship and internship matching.

Phoenix Union Foundation for Education - The Phoenix Union Foundation for Education is a 501 (c) (3) Arizona non-profit organization that raises and distributes funds through a variety of programs. The Foundation strives to make a direct impact on the lives of PUHSD students and provides them the means and motivation to stay in school, graduate to higher education or workplace, and become productive citizens.

Upward Bound - Upward Bound, a program created by the U.S. Department of Education, provides fundamental support to participants in their preparation for college entrance. The program provides opportunities for participants to succeed in their precollege performance and ultimately in their higher education pursuits. Upward Bound serves: high school students from low-income families; and high school students from families in which neither parent holds a bachelor's degree. The goal of Upward Bound is to increase the rate at which participants complete secondary education and enroll in and graduate from institutions of postsecondary education.