AVID

GRADES 9, 10, 11, 12

Prerequisites: This course is open to 9-12 grade students most under-represented in college preparatory programs. The commitment of parent and student is required through a written contract and an interview with an AVID teacher and counselor.

AVID (Advanced Via Individual Determination) is a four year elective class for students who have the potential to succeed in college given extra encouragement and academic assistance. Note taking, outlining, writing, speaking, reading, test-taking strategies, and self-awareness are stressed. To ensure their success in all of their course work, students will be coached individually and in study groups. This course will receive 10 elective credits each year.

AVID is designed to be a four-year elective program. Students are selected through a process that includes recommendations from the junior high schools, a student application, and an interview. The profile of an AVID student is one who is currently doing adequate work in junior or senior high school and who has the potential to be accepted by at least one four-year university. Through the AVID program, students will be placed in rigorous academic classes and will have resources made available to help them succeed.

AVID classrooms focus on WICR, which stands for Writing, Inquiry, Collaboration, and Reading. These are areas a student should be able to master if he/she will succeed in high school as well as college. The AVID class stresses these areas with the intention of developing better students. In addition, AVID students will utilize resources such as college placement centers, SAT study sessions, college tutors, and Socratic seminars to help them prepare for college. One of the most valuable things that AVID offers students is a twice-a-week tutorial where students help other students with their understanding of the material in academic classes.

AVID sets a goal that all students who participate in four years of the program will be eligible for admission to a four-year university. The current rate of high school seniors in California who have completed four years of AVID and who are eligible for admission to the University of California is approximately three times as high as those graduates who have not completed AVID. AVID is not a “miracle program.” It sets a high goal for all entering students, gives those students a rigorous curriculum, and provides resources to help the students succeed, but, as the program states, it is based upon students Individual Determination.