Academic Achievement Programs
Contact Information
Audi Huang 510 542 2124 ahuang@ymca-cba.org
Our Academic Achievement Programs guide teens in making informed decisions about post-secondary education and encourage them to pursue meaningful post-secondary programs and institutions. We focus on motivating students of all academic backgrounds to pursue academic excellence and to develop the necessary study skills in order to have a successful educational career.
Y-Scholars Program
M-F 3:30-6:00pm
The Y-Scholars Program works with over 200 first-generation college-bound students in grades 9-12 to prepare them to pursue higher education through career exploration and academic achievement. This comprehensive program offers a wider range of free services including: weekly workshops covering topics ranging from study skills to college exploration, mentoring, after-school tutoring, SAT preparatory classes, college tours, social events and more. In addition, all 12th grade participants receive weekly individual advising on exploring college majors and potential careers, and completing college and financial assistance applications. Program participants are required to commit to a minimum of 3 hours after school every week.
Fee: None
Registration required
Drop-In Group Tutoring
The drop-in group tutoring provides students an opportunity to come in to the Teen Center for academic support during the weekdays between 3:30-5:30pm. Tutors will be available to help with guiding and assisting students in various subjects. With a maximum tutor to student ratio of 1 to 8, the drop-in tutoring is ideal for students who are more motivated to work in a social learning environment.
Fee: None
Registration required
Test Preparation Courses
The dreadful SAT Reasoning Test and ACT Test have been a major stress factor for students applying to college. The good news is that standardized test scores are not the only factor that colleges look at. However, a great score can certainly enhance a student’s college application. Our test preparation courses emphasize weekly lessons, in-class/homework practice, mastery of test-taking strategies, and group discussions. Courses are six weeks long with 18 hours of instruction plus practice tests.
Fee: Starts at $150 per course
Financial assistance is available.
Registration required
Workshops and Seminars
The Teen Center aims to reach out to students in order to get them to think ahead about options after high school including college pursuit and career search. In partnerships with other departments and organizations, our interactive workshops and seminars offer students the opportunity to prepare ahead and make themselves competitive for college admissions. Topics to be covered include the following and more:
- Career Exploration and the Required Academic Preparation
- College Admission Requirements and Choosing the Right College
- Writing Competitive and Unique Personal Statements
- Affording a College Education through Financial Aid and Scholarships
Fee: None
Registration required, please check online and monthly events calendar for the latest scheduled workshops/seminars.
