The California Student Opportunity and Access Program (Cal-SOAP) was established by the state legislature in 1978. Today, Cal-SOAP is instrumental in improving the flow of information about postsecondary education and financial aid while raising the achievement levels of low-income elementary and secondary school students, geographic regions with documented low college-eligibility or college participation rates, and those who are first in their families to attend college.
– Since 1996 the San José Cal-SOAP Consortium has brought together key stakeholders from higher education institutions, K–12 districts, county offices of education, and community agencies and businesses. The Consortium works with community partners in the greater San José area to increase college access and success activities to maximize resources and avoid duplication of services.
– The San José Cal-SOAP Consortium is one of fifteen California Student Opportunity and Access Projects (Cal-SOAP) administered by the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC).
– The San José Consortium provides services to students and families in the San José region to achieve the goal of increasing the number of students who finish high school and enroll in postsecondary institutions.
San José Cal-SOAP Partners Schools In East Side Union High School District Include
• Andrew Hill High School
• James Lick High School
• William C. Overfelt HS
• Yerba Buena High School
San José Cal-SOAP Offers Students and Families:
- Academic tutoring
- Near-peer mentoring
- College and career exploration
- College admissions assistance
- College campus visits
- Family college knowledge
- Family financial aid nights and financial literacy
- Cash for College Campaign (regional initiative)
- Financial aid and scholarship application assistance
- Summer bridge programming (incoming 9th graders)
- College transition support (summer melt)
Check Out San José Cal-SOAP’s College Success Hub for Financial Aid Resources
Cal-SOAP Changes Lives!
"Cal-SOAP has give me many resources and opportunities. As a first generation Latinx, I did not have as much guidance and knowledge about college applications and college in general. Cal-SOAP helped me step-by-step to eventually get to where I wanted to go." - Andrew Hill High School Graduate
"I actually wasn’t planning on going to a university before Cal-SOAP. They were super supportive and I would even consider them friends. They are part of the reason for my success, and there is literally no way I can ever thank them enough to show how grateful I am. They took time to help me with essays, scholarship help, applications for college, and even FAFSA."
- William C. Overfelt High School Graduate
"I am very grateful because at this point I am not only the first to graduate high school [in my family] but to attend college."
- Andrew Hill High School Graduate
"I’m unbelievably happy to be experiencing this exciting journey, meeting new friends everyday, and to be able to grow as my own person!" - William C. Overfelt High School Graduate
Teresa Marquez | Associate Superintendent of Educational Services, ESUHSD
“As a district our main goal is to ensure our students are college and career ready so they can thrive in a global society. Our partnership with Cal-SOAP has allowed us to meet this goal and in particular, ensure that our students are not only college and career ready but they are prepared to take on the various aspects of college. Through Cal-SOAP's support students have been able to learn about the steps needed to actually enroll at a university as well as understand the financial component of being a college student. For the East Side Union High School District, many of our students are the first in their family to be admitted into a university. This makes it more challenging for students to know the ins and outs of what to do once they are accepted into their college, and this is where Cal-SOAP has been instrumental. I am in full support of their work.”
San José Cal-SOAP Contact Information
Sonia Ramos
Program Director
• sbramos@ucsc.edu
• 408-898-0443
TBA
Academic Coordinator
• Andrew Hill High School
• James Lick High School
• TBA
• 408-309-5187
John Wang
Academic Coordinator
• William C. Overfelt High School
• Yerba Buena High School
• jwang166@ucsc.edu
• 408-422-2640
Elizabeth Purnell
Administrative Coordinator
• epurnell@ucsc.edu
• 408-316-5910
Krystal Cruz
Special Projects Coordinator
• kdcruz@ucsc.edu
• 408-898-0365
For more information, contact us at CALSOAP@ucsc.edu.
Stay Connected! We’re Here to Help Wherever You Are!
Wonder when your college application is due? Want to know the different ways to pay for college? Simply have a lingering question about college? Join San José Cal-SOAP’s virtual community and don’t miss a thing.