College readiness begins before high school, and therefore O-Higher Ed starts working with first-gen students in grades 7 and 8. Middle schoolers join Get Ready!, meeting weekly to strengthen study skills, work on soft skills such as public speaking, engage in long-term academic planning, and begin learning about colleges and universities. They also receive weekly math tutoring and can opt into a special summer reading program. In addition, middle schoolers and their families are invited to attend all college visits organized by O-Higher Ed.

High schoolers attend at least four 1-on-1 college counseling sessions over the course of the year to review academic progress and receive individualized support through the college exploration, application, and financial aid processes. Course planning includes ongoing evaluation of students’ fulfillment of the academic requirements for admission to University of California and California State University system schools. Weekly drop-in hours are also offered on-site at school.

Financing college is daunting, so the individual counseling process includes help navigating the financial aid process and accessing and applying for merit scholarships.

Given the statistics on sub-standard math achievement by Ojai Valley students, additional math support is an area of critical need for students preparing for the college application process as well as for their subsequent success at the post-secondary level. All O-Higher Ed Students in grades 7 through 12 receive small-group math tutoring from a professional tutor. Middle schoolers receive weekly one-hour sessions throughout the school year; high schoolers receive biweekly one-hour sessions. Tutoring is offered at five different levels for high schoolers: Math 1 through AP AB/BC Calculus. Each group receives an hour dedicated to their level every other week.

High school sophomores and juniors receive 6 hours of PSAT tutoring with a professional tutor prior to the test. O-Higher Ed also provides PSAT course materials and pays for the registration fee in order to remove all barriers. Students’ PSAT test results are then used to develop individual testing plans moving forward.

O-Higher Ed organizes at least two group college visits per year to a variety of California colleges and universities. All middle and high schoolers in the program and their families are encouraged to attend. O-Higher Ed provides charter bus transportation and lunch. Different schools are featured each year, so if a student joins the program in seventh grade they will have the opportunity to tour at least 12 schools by the end of their senior fall.

The program also helps individual students apply for “fly-in” grants, offered by many colleges to remove financial barriers in visiting schools farther from home.

Partnering with our students’ families is critical to O-Higher Ed’s success. We strongly encourage parents of rising seniors to have individual meetings with the program director over the summer, giving them the opportunity to ask questions about the application and financial aid processes specific to their child and family circumstances. Translators are provided free of charge. Parents and siblings are invited to participate in all college visits. We are committed to keeping the lines of communication open so that parents–as well as students–feel supported and educated about resources that are available to them.

The Juan Jesus Morales Scholarship was established in 2021 to honor the memory of one of the six original high school O-Higher Ed students, who was tragically killed by a drunk driver. This renewable $2,500 scholarship is awarded annually to one individual.

The Karen Wilson Memorial Scholarship was established in 2024 in memory of beloved O-Higher Ed volunteer and AP US History tutor Karen Wilson. This one-time $2,500 scholarship is awarded annually.

Applicants for both scholarships must be graduating seniors residing in the Ojai Valley who will enroll in a 4-year college or university, junior or community college, or career/technical, vocational, or certificated program in the next fall term.

Click here to access the scholarship application.