College Horizons: Preparing Native American Students for College and Graduate School

Welcome to the College Horizons Program! We invite you to explore our website, review our materials, and learn about our pre-college program for Native American high school students. Scroll below for information on the program dates, deadlines, application, cost attendance, financial aid, cancelation policy, eligibility and mailing instructions.

College Horizons is a pre-college program for Native American high school students open to sophomores and juniors. Each summer students work with college admissions officers, college counselors, essay specialists, and other educators in a five-day "crash course" on the college application process.

The individualized program helps students:

Select suitable colleges to research and apply to;
Complete winning applications, resumes, and write memorable essays;
Receive test-taking strategies, information, and resources on the ACT & SAT
Navigate the financial aid/scholarship jungle, complete a preliminary FAFSA, and learn about the Gates Millennium Scholarship Fund;
Develop relationships with admissions officers, by attending our College Fair, informational sessions, and through one-one and small group class time;
Receive tips and strategies on the application process and get advice on how to succeed in college as a Native student.
Learn what turns an applicant into an admitted student!
Application Period: The 2009-2010 application period is open from October 1, 2009 - February 26, 2010.

Program Dates: College Horizons is proud to partner with the University of Hawai'i Hilo, Lawrence University, and the University of Puget Sound - the host sites of the 2010 programs!
University of Hawai'i Hilo (Hilo, HI) - June 12-16 (Sat-Wed)
Lawrence University (Appleton, WI) - June 26-30 (Sat-Wed)
University of Puget Sound (Tacoma, WA) - June 26-30 (Sat-Wed)
Each program is 5 days long (Sat- Wed) and consists of 90 students. Students are required to participate for the entire program, late arrivals or early departures are not allowed. Students will rank their preference for sites but final placement will be determined by College Horizons. Note: The Univ. of Hawai'i Hilo program will consist of 75% Native Hawaiian students and 25% of mainland AI/AN students.

Deadline: Applications are to be received by February 1, 2010 (1st round); and the second round of applications are to be received by February 26, 2010. All materials must be mailed in 1 envelope, no faxes are accepted. Applications might be accepted until May 1 on a space available bases, please contact the office after March 1 to find out if spaces are open.

Application Parts: A completed application consists of the following:
Student Application with short answer and personal essay
Counselor recommendation
Teacher recommendation
$10.00 Application processing fee (non-refundable)
$50.00 Deposit (refundable) of the $200.00 Program Fee. The deposit is refundable if the students is not admitted to the program.
Cost of Program and Airfare: The total program cost is $200.00 and includes tuition, room meals, ground transportation, and all materials. Students are also responsible for their own transportation to the host campus, either flying or driving (only parents/guardians can drive a student to the program). A $50.00 deposit is due at the time of application. The remaining $150.00 is due by April 15, 2010.

Financial Aid: Substantial scholarship financial aid is available for both tuition and airfare travel assistance (each year we award travel assistance to over 50% of our students). Students must apply for financial aid on their application and parents/guardian must provide tax returns and income information. It is recommended that students apply by the February 1 deadline if they are requesting financial assistance.

Cancelation Policy: If a student notifies College Horizons of their withdrawal from the program before April 15, 2010, their deposit will be refunded only if a wait listed students can take their place. If a student receives a travel scholarship and withdraws from the program after a ticket has been purchased, the student and parent are responsible to pay the cancelation fee of the ticket and reimburse College Horizons for the cost of the ticket. If a student does not show up to the program, their deposit and program fees are not refundable.

Eligibility: To be eligible, each student must,
Be American Indian, Alaska Native, or Native Hawaiian AND provide appropriate tribal/ancestry documentation (copies of relevant tribal enrollment forms or descent documentation issued from a state or federally recognized tribe, or verified Hawaiian ancestry documentation such as required by the Kamehameha Schools, or from the Ho'oulu Hawaiian Data Center, or birth certificates showing Hawaiian descent);
Be a current 10th grade or 11th grade high school student;
Have a 3.00 grade-point average (in core academic courses, not electives)
Be a current or permanent resident of the United States;
For those students applying for financial aid scholarships (tuition or travel assistance), a copy of a parent's tax returns and income information is required;
Submit a completed application packet by the established deadlines.
Mail Applications: Mail all parts of the applications in one envelope to,
Christine Suina
College Horizons
Program Coordinator
PO Box 1262
Pena Blanca, NM 87041

Questions: If you have questions, please contact our staff,

Christine Suina, Program Coordinator
Phone: 505-401-3854
E-mail: info@collegehorizons.org
Carmen Lopez, Executive Director
Whitney Laughlin, Assistant Director & Founder