Santa Barbara, CA - The Early Academic Outreach Program (EAOP) at UC Santa Barbara will hold its annual spring Higher Education Week, a four-day event beginning on March 19. Representatives from universities, colleges, and other institutions of higher education will visit high school campuses in Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties to meet with high school juniors and discuss postsecondary education opportunities.

The visits include presentations followed by college fairs and breakout sessions on financial aid and college admissions. The first event will take place at Lompoc, Cabrillo, and Righetti High Schools on Tuesday, March 19. The EAOP program will move to San Marcos, Santa Barbara, and Dos Pueblos High Schools on Wednesday, March 20, and to Rio Mesa, Fillmore, and Santa Paula High Schools on Thursday, March 21. The event will conclude with visits to Channel Islands, Hueneme, and Pacifica High Schools on Friday, March 22.

In all, more than 4,000 high school juniors will meet with representatives from the UC, Cal State, and Community College systems. A host of other private and public colleges and universities will be represented, including the University of New Mexico; the University of Massachusetts Lowell; the University of Arkansas; the University of Arizona; Oregon State University; Biola University; and High Point University, among others. Additional event participants include the Santa Barbara Scholarship Foundation; the California Student Opportunity and Access Program (Cal-SOAP); Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement (MESA); Santa Barbara Pathways; UCSB's Summer Research Mentorship Program; and representatives from various career technical education programs at participating regional community colleges.

"Higher Education Week is our largest annual college-going initiative of the year," said EAOP Director Britt Ortiz. "By collaborating with participating high schools and other pre-college programs, we are able to maximize college and financial aid awareness for the juniors as they get ready for their senior year. In many cases, this will be the first college fair that numerous first-generation college-bound students are attending. This is a unique opportunity for high schools to host so many college reps, at their school sites, on one day, for so many high school juniors." UCSB EAOP seeks to raise student achievement and close achievement gaps to increase the number of students who have the opportunity to attain a postsecondary education. EAOP focuses on four key strategies - academic advising, college knowledge, academic enrichment, and entrance exam preparation - to help students reach college eligibility and participate in higher education. A variety of pre-college programs offered on an annual basis give students the opportunity to visit UCSB, tour campus labs, meet with faculty members, and conduct research or participate in other academic enrichment activities. Among the programs and services are annual transcript evaluation, academic advisement, academic achiever's receptions, study skills and testing strategies, college readiness seminars, and UC Success Night and college readiness academies.