Our
Mission

To provide information about postsecondary education and
financial aid

To provide information about postsecondary education and financial aid to elementary through high school students while raising their academic achievement levels. In particular, Cal-SOAP is committed to providing services to students from any of the following backgrounds:

Low income families
Families in which they would be the first to attend college
Schools with documented low eligibility or college participation rates or
Geographic areas with documented low eligibility or college participation rates

CAL-SOAP STAFF

Director

Linda Doughty

ldoughty@ucsd.edu

Assistant Director,
College Advisement

Claudia Rodriguez

claudia@ucsd.edu

Associate Director,
College Advisement

Anna Sorensen

asorensen@sandi.net

Academic Coordinator

Karla Whitaker

kkwhitaker@ucsd.edu

Assistant to the Director

Beth Palencia

epalencia@ucsd.edu

Assistant Director
Imperial Valley

Martha Singh

m4singh@ucsd.edu

CAL-SOAP COMPONENTS

Through a network of trained staff members and college students, Cal- SOAP offers support and assistance to college and academic counselors, and middle and high school students and their families. While services are typically delivered to nearly 10,000 students per year, the personal attention that has become Cal- SOAP's hallmark is never sacrificed. The program is built around the following components:

College and Financial Aid Information and Advisement

Cal-SOAP manages a team of highly trained college students to serve as the program's primary resource of outreach. These College Readiness Coaches (CRCs) are trained to provide support for school counseling personnel in select San Diego and Imperial County high schools. CRCs at these schools address the needs of students through 1:1 meetings, classroom presentations and in small groups. At these sessions, information is disseminated about college options, the college application process, financial and career options, college essay writing and scholarship search. Additionally, CRCs serve as role models -- those students who have successfully navigated the often choppy waters of college admissions and financial aid. Cal-SOAP also offers numerous Cash for College Financial Aid Workshops each year between October and March to help students and families fill out the FAFSA or Dream Act application. Cal-SOAP also offers workshops to help seniors complete college admission applications.

Academic Enrichment and College Entrance Test Preparation

Cal- SOAP recognizes that academic success in school will provide more options for students after high school. The Academic Coordinators provide free, quality PSAT/SAT/ACT preparation services through workshops, summer programs and classroom programs.

College and Financial Aid Information and Advisement

Cal-SOAP believes in empowering parents/guardians and the community to understand the college process early. Through dissemination of information about post-secondary education, both community and parents are encouraged to be informed, be involved and to be inspired to assist students. College Make It Happen (CMIH) is a program that informs middle school parents about A-G requirements, academic achievement and college options; provides college admission, deadlines and financial aid information; and provides parents an opportunity to learn about and discuss parent/guardian education issues, the college search process and more.

CAL-SOAP CONSORTIUM

The San Diego and Imperial Counties Cal-SOAP Consortium

There are numerous California Student Opportunity and Access Program Consortia, each serving a specific geographic area of the state, and all working toward a common goal: providing information about post-secondary education and financial aid, and raising the achievement levels of students from low-income families, from schools or geographic areas with documented low eligibility or college participation rates, or from families in which they would be the first to attend college.

Working under the auspices of the California Student Aid Commision, the Cal-SOAP Consortia represent the educational community: the University of California, California State University, California Community Colleges, independent colleges, public schools and local non-profit agencies.

San Diego and Imperial Counties Cal-SOAP Consortium Members:

Since 1978 UCSD has served as the fiscal agent for the project. UCSD has the responsibility of fiscal management of the project and oversees the proper performance of the Director and Administrative Assistants.