Overview
The Achieving a College Education Program (ACE) is a nationally recognized program that targets students who may not consider going to college and attaining a bachelor’s degree an achievable goal. The program is designed to help students make a smooth transition from high school through community college and on to a university and completion of a bachelor’s degree.
ACE students are high school juniors and seniors concurrently taking college courses while still attending regular high school. Throughout these two years, ACE students take classes on the SMCC campus in order to experience and acclimate to a college environment in a real-time setting. Classes meet during the regular summer sessions and every Saturday during the fall and spring semesters. Upon graduating from high school, an ACE student may have earned up to 24 transferable college credits.
Contact Information
Laura Pastor
Program Director
Phone: 602.243.8063
Student Services Building (SS-108)
Rosa Cota
Office Coordinator I
Phone: 602.305.5608
Student Services Building (SS-114)
Resources
The SMCC ACE Program was established in 1987 and was the first ACE Program in the Maricopa County Community College District. Besides attending classes, ACE students and their families participate in an orientation and a series of ongoing activities and events such as financial aid workshops designed to keep them informed and connected throughout the two years.
It is important to recognize that ACE students enrolled at one of the Maricopa Community Colleges are considered college students with all the corresponding rights, responsibilities, privileges and benefits.