College Experience

The College Experience

 

The College Experience is a new program for the Pre-Collegiate Development Program, but is not new to the Pikes Peak Region. From 2010 to 2018, a program funded and coordinated by the El Pomar Foundation called the College Readiness and Success Program offered Pikes Peak area high school students a series of workshops designed to address a range of topics including college success, self-advocacy, financial literacy, pre-collegiate resources, and retention. This comprehensive workshop series consisted of four workshops held throughout the year at higher education institutions at no cost to students and families. 
 
After 8 successful years, the program was transitioned in the fall of 2018 to operate under the University of Colorado Colorado Springs Pre-Collegiate Development Program. The Pre-Collegiate Development Program is designed to give high school students an opportunity to gain college credit, academic skills, peer mentorship, and exposure to higher education through dual enrollment, professional development, and community service learning. 

Modeled after the El Pomar Foundation: College Readiness and Success Program, Pre-Collegiate Development Program now includes The College Experience workshop series where students participate in workshops held at various higher education institutions. 

College Visits
The College Experience campus events series gives Pre-Collegiate scholars the opportunity to experience four unique college campus settings in the Pikes Peak Region. Visits will include conference style sessions, tours, as well as opportunities to experience campus highlights that complement the scholar’s academic and personal goals.

College Experience events are held at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs, Pikes Peak Community College, Colorado College, and the United States Air Force Academy. Events take place at each campus once per year, usually on Saturdays. Programming is differentiated by grade level at each College Experience conference and or are also tailored to the scholars' career pathway interests.

Programming is designed by the Pre-Collegiate Development program, higher education professionals, local College and University student support services, college scholarship providers and community-based organizations to support high school student in the Pikes Peak region.
The College Experience Ambassadors and Logistics Volunteers
Ambassadors and Logistics Volunteers are professionals within the Pikes Peak region who have volunteered to work with groups of students at The College Experience events to provide guidance, insight and mentorship through the workshop year. Ambassadors work with students from the opening session to the closing session and participate with the students in workshop sessions.
To volunteer as an Ambassador or to get more information, contact Victoria Caruso at Vcaruso@uccs.edu or 719-255-3457.

Select a higher education institution to get more information
  • University of Colorado Colorado Springs Admissions
    • For more information, please email go@uccs.edu or call 719-255-3084. 
  • Pikes Peak Community College Admissions
    • For more information, please email enrollment@ppcc.edu or call 719-502-2000.    

  • Colorado College Admissions
    • For more information, please email admission@coloradocollege.edu or call 719-389-6344. 

  • United States Air Force Academy Admissions

Frequently Asked Questions

Who should attend The College Experience events?
What can I expect at The College Experience campus visits?
What is the Resource Fair?
Who can I expect to meet at the Resource Fair?
Is transportation provided?
Do I have to pay for parking at campus visits?
Will meals be provided?
Are the campus visits free to attend?
Do I have to attend all The College Experience events?
Can I attend all The College Experience workshops?
Should my parent(s), guardian(s), or family member(s) attend?
How do I RSVP? How do I know if I’ve RSVP’d?
My organization would like to join future Resource Fairs. Who should I contact?
What is the Ambassadors role?
What is the Logisitic's Volunteer role?
I would like to be a College Experience Ambassador or Logisitic's Volunteer. Who should I contact?
I recently graduated from the Pre-Collegiate Development Program. Can I volunteer as an Ambassador or Logisitic's Volunteer?

 

College Experience schools and sponsor