
OUR PROGRAM
Access Opportunity supports high-achieving students from low-income households for six years, following a selective admissions process in the spring of 10th grade. Our students are ambitious, community-minded young leaders who hope to use their education in order to make change in their communities. The ultimate goal of Access Opportunity is to help our students, their families, and their communities reach their full potential.

11th Grade through First-Year of College
11TH GRADE
Community-Building, Self-Discovery, & Test Prep
Students are welcomed into the program at our June workshop, an overnight retreat and one of two annual events where our entire community comes together. Students spend their first year learning about leadership in quarterly cohort workshops, receiving SAT and ACT tutoring from Denver Test Prep, and discovering best-fit colleges in one-on-one meetings with their AO Counselor.
12TH GRADE
Personalized College & Financial Aid Counseling
During senior year, students continue to work with an AO Counselor who receives training in college advising best practices from the College Essay Guy. Students meet one-on-one with their counselor to work through each step of the college and financial aid application process, from application to enrollment.
1ST YEAR
College Transition Support & Peer Mentorship
Students continue to receive one-on-one support from an AO Counselor in their transition from high school to college. They also are paired with an AO Peer Mentor, who is trained in a mentorship curriculum designed in collaboration with the Renee Crown Wellness Institute at the University of Colorado Boulder.

Second through Fourth Year of College
LAUNCH
Career Readiness Education & Development
Access Career prepares students to graduate from college ready to excel in their career of choice. Students start the summer after their first year of college with a two-day career readiness workshop, LAUNCH, where they begin to identify and develop the skills they need to be successful in the workplace. The topics covered in the workshop are led by industry-experts and built around 8 career competencies for entry-level professionals developed by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE).
2ND YEAR & BEYOND
Personalized Career Counseling & Leadership Development
After LAUNCH, students continue to receive one-on-one support from an AO Counselor who is a Certified Career Service Provider. They are guided through the process of exploring careers, deciding on a best fit career path, and gaining career experience and skills. Students sustain the relationships built with their cohort in quarterly meetings discussing career readiness from an equity lens.