Summer Search college students are highly-motivated individuals who have proven themselves as hard-working and committed young leaders. Summer Search�s comprehensive, long-term approach has helped our students achieve impressive results over the last 20 years: Over ninety-nine percent of Summer Search students have graduated from high school compared to only sixty-one percent of their low-income peers. Ninety-three percent have gone on to college compared to only thirty-three percent of their peers. Of that group, eighty-nine percent have completed college or remain enrolled and are on track to do so compared to only twenty-one percent of their peers. They are attending schools including UC Berkeley, UCLA, Mount Holyoke, Macalester, San Jose State, Smith, Columbia, Cornell, and Yale. By investing in students holistically and over the long-term, Summer Search aims to help our students navigate the risks of poverty and become positive leaders and engaged citizens who give back to their communities.

The mission of Summer Search is to find resilient low-income high school students and inspire them to become responsible and altruistic leaders by providing year- round mentoring, life-changing summer experiences, college advising, and a lasting support network.

Each piece of the Summer Search model builds upon the others to provide opportunities and support that few low-income youth would otherwise receive: Year-round mentoring by full-time trained staff builds students� resilience, helping them learn to cultivate relationships, become self-reflective, and navigate the challenges in their lives. Full scholarships to summer experiential education programs like Outward Bound and the National Outdoor Leadership School strengthen students� follow-through, leadership, and problem solving, all of which translates to success in high school and college. Individualized college and financial aid advising helps students pursue post-secondary school. Resources for students in and after college support strong academic performance, college persistence, and career exploration.