Outcomes
History of Success
EAOP has a proven record of success. Research shows that EAOP students are more prepared for college than students who do not participate in the program, by far. Data show that EAOP students surpass students statewide in terms of coursework and exam completion, UC eligibility, college enrollment and college persistence.
EAOP has been systematically evaluated and found to be highly effective. The University's academic preparation programs have been evaluated more thoroughly than similar federally funded programs. In addition to reports conducted for California's state legislature, independent academic studies have also shown EAOP to be highly effective at meeting its objective to prepare students for college.
The source for each of the graphs is cited at the bottom of this page.
EAOP Student Population
The purpose of EAOP is to increase the number of students who have the opportunity to achieve a UC education. EAOP reaches those students who might otherwise not have gone to college and puts them on track to a postsecondary education.
EAOP serves low API schools.
EAOP reaches the students from schools most in need of assistance. As the largest of UC's academic preparation programs, EAOP reaches students in the state's most challenged schools. 79% of the schools EAOP serves are in the five lowest API deciles. EAOP helps create a college-going culture at these schools.
EAOP reaches low-income students.
EAOP works with schools located in communities where median family incomes are low. According to census tract data, 71% of EAOP schools are in communities with median family incomes of less than $50,000, compared to about 47% of high schools statewide.
In Sacramento County, for example, the vast majority of EAOP students live in areas where the household income is $52,000 or less.
Many of EAOP's students will be the first in their families to attend college.
Most EAOP students come from communities underrepresented at the University of California.
Most students in EAOP are from underrepresented groups, 69%, a rate that is very close to the percentage of underrepresented students in the schools served by the programs. The success of these students is essential to closing achievement gaps.
"EAOP was my shining light that guided me to a successful life." Yesenia Casillas, UC Riverside class of 2006
Course Requirements
To attend the University of California or California State University, students must complete the rigorous 'a-g' course requirements. These requirements include a specific pattern of 15 units in English, math, history, lab science, language other than English, visual and performing arts, and college preparatory electives.
EAOP students complete the 'a-g' requirements at twice the rate of students statewide.
EAOP students complete the 'a-g' requirements at twice the rate of students statewide, or 72% for EAOP students compared to 34% for all students statewide. Furthermore, EAOP students are twice as likely to complete the courses required for UC and CSU admission as their non-EAOP counterparts at the same schools.
Exams
To attend the University of California, California State University, as well as most private colleges and universities, students must take the SAT or ACT exams. Often, students at the state's most challenged schools do not take the exams, making them ineligible to attend UC and CSU, regardless of their grades and course-taking patterns. EAOP students take the SAT I and SAT II exams at substantially higher rates than non-participants attending the same schools. Taking the required college entrance exams is often the last hurdle students face in becoming eligible for UC and CSU.
For schools at every academic performance index level, EAOP students took the SAT/ACT at a higher rate than other students at the same schools
EAOP students took the SAT or ACT at more than twice the rate of non EAOP students in California's lowest-performing schools, those with an API of 1 and 2.
Eligibility
EAOP alumni are able to attend UC and CSU in high numbers because the program effectively works with its students to complete all eligibility requirements. According to California's Mater Plan for Education, the top 12.5% of students in the state are eligible to the University of California, and the top third to the California State University system. The eligibility index for each system is based on completion of a specific pattern of 15 academic courses, grade point average in those courses, and ACT/SAT test scores.
EAOP students are UC eligible at more than twice the rate of students statewide.
The eligibility rate for EAOP students is more than two and a half times that of students statewide, 34% for EAOP students compared to 14.4% statewide. The EAOP program works closely with students to complete all of UC's eligibility requirements.
Opportunity
EAOP reaches students who might not otherwise go to college and makes college dreams a reality. At the University of California, the majority of students-three quarters-attended the state's highest-performing high schools, those with an API of 6-10. Only one quarter of freshmen at UC attended schools with an API of 6-10. By comparison, three quarters of EAOP alumni at the University of California attended schools with an API of 1-5.
As a land-grant institution, the University of California was designed to serve students from all demographics of the state, especially those who would not be able to afford a private postsecondary education. At the same time, the University of California is the country's premier pubic institution, with the obligation to maintain high standards. EAOP enables the University to fulfill both the aims. The program serves students in communities without an embedded college-going culture, guides them through the rigorous UC requirements through its core services of academic advising, academic enrichment, familiarity with exams and knowledge of college options. With the help of EAOP, the University of California is able to better meet its mandate of serving students throughout the state and maintaining its stature as one of the world's premier educational institutions.
EAOP graduates comprise more than a quarter of the historically underrepresented students at UC, furthering still the University's mission to educate all of California's citizens.
Among the top 12.5% of high school graduates in the state of California, many EAOP alumni are the first in their families to attend college. EAOP makes a difference for students who otherwise might never get and stay on the college path.
College Enrollment
EAOP students enroll in college at higher rates than nonparticipants, particularly those participants from the state's most challenged schools.
The vast majority of EAOP students attend college in the first year after high school, 72%.
Although EAOP students attend schools with low college-going rates, some of which send fewer than 4% of their graduates to the University of California, the majority of EAOP students attend college.
"That's the culture I grew up in. College was not a reality. Then EAOP showed up to help me. EAOP gave me the tools to compete with students who went to better-performing high schools than mine." Francisco Castillo, Engineer and Partner, FTF Engineering, Inc.
EAOP alumni attend college at much higher rates than students statewide.
The California Postsecondary Education Committee compiles data regarding students in California's public high schools who go on to attend California public colleges. More than 2/3 of EAOP alumni attend a California public college, significantly higher than the statewide rate of less than half.
EAOP students enroll at the University of California in far higher numbers than students statewide.
16.3% of EAOP students attend California's top University system, the University of California, while only 14.4% of students statewide are eligible to UC, and fewer than half that number actually enroll in the University (6.4%). One quarter of EAOP alumni who attend college (23%) choose to go to the University of California.
"EAOP and other academic preparation programs can open doors and broaden horizons to the future. They empower students to see other ways of achieving goals, to take advantage of opportunities, to expand and rethink what their goals are." ~ Akil Kokayi Khalfani, Ph.D., Professor and Director, Africana Institute and EAOP Alumnus
EAOP alumni attend prestigious colleges throughout the state.
EAOP works with students to prepare them to pursue a quality postsecondary education. The program's graduates attend CSU, UC and private colleges nationwide. Favorite UC choices for EAOP alumni include the system's most selective campuses, Berkeley and Los Angeles. In addition, two of the top private school destinations are USC and Stanford. Without EAOP, many of these students would not even have applied to a university.
"EAOP gave me the confidence and guidance necessary to not only become college bound, but to become a competitive college applicant." ~ Claudia Canizales, Ph.D., CSU Professor
College Success
The persistence rates of EAOP students are equal to or better than their campus counterparts.
EAOP helps students who might otherwise not attend college, guides them to college preparatory courses and provides them with academic enrichment opportunities. As a result, students who participate in EAOP in high school go on to succeed in college.
After graduating college, EAOP alumni go on to succeed in fields as varied as medicine, engineering, politics, law, science, education, architecture and business.
"I am doing things today that I never imagined. It's challenging and creative, with opportunities for growth. I'm working with students and creating ways to serve them better. I'm very ambitious and I want to make things happen for myself, for my community and for the students who are going to be our future leaders." ~Keith Curry, Dean of Student Affairs, Compton College, and EAOP Alumnus
Sources
EAOP effectively targets underserved schools with historically low college-going rates. University of California, "A Report to the Governor and Legislature on Student Academic Prep ration and Educational Partnerships for the 2004-05 Academic Year" (2006).
Sacramento County Distribution of Mean Household Income: United States Census, 2000.
EAOP reaches students from communities underrepresented in higher education. University of California, "A Report to the Governor and Legislature on Student Academic Prep ration and Educational Partnerships for the 2004-05 Academic Year" (2006).
EAOP is effective at putting students on track to college. University of California, "A Report to the Governor and Legislature on Student Academic Prep ration and Educational Partnerships for the 2004-05 Academic Year" (2006) Rates are estimates. Denise Quigley, "The Early Academic Outreach Program (EAOP) and Its Impact on High School Students' Completion of the University of California's Preparatory Coursework," Center for the Study of Evaluation, UCLA, March 2002.
EAOP students take exams at much higher rates than nonparticipants. University of California, "A Report to the Governor and Legislature on Student Academic Preparation and Educational Partnerships for the 2004-05 Academic Year" (2006).
EAOP inspires students to take college entrance exams. University of California, "A Report to the Governor and Legislature on Student Academic Prep ration and Educational Partnerships for the 2004-05 Academic Year" (2006).
EAOP is effective at helping students attain college eligibility. University of California, "A Report to the Governor and Legislature on Student Academic Prep ration and Educational Partnerships for the 2004-05 Academic Year" (2006) and California Postsecondary Education Committee, "2005 College-Going Rates to Public Colleges and Universities, On-Line Data." Rates are estimates. CPEC calculations are based on public high school students in California. Similarly, all EAOP students attend public high schools in California.
EAOP reaches students who might not otherwise go to college. Juan Sanchez, "Analyzing Undergraduate Admissions Criteria Using Hierarchical Linear Models, Item Response Theory and Differential Item Functioning Analyses: A Study of the University of California's EAOP Students' Academic Growth and Graduation from UC."
EAOP alumni attend college in large numbers. University of California, "College-Going Outcomes of EAOP Participants, 2004-05" (2006).
EAOP alumni attend college at higher rates than students statewide. University of California, "College-Going Outcomes of EAOP Participants, 2004-05" (2006).
EAOP alumni attend UC at almost 3 times the rate of students statewide. University of California, "College-Going Outcomes of EAOP Participants, 2004-05" (2006) and California Postsecondary Education Committee, "2005 College-Going Rates to Public Colleges and Universities, On-Line Data." Rates are estimates. CPEC calculations are based on public high school students in California. Similarly, all EAOP students attend public high schools in California.
Top Ten College Destinations of EAOP Alumni (in descending order). University of California, "College-Going Outcomes of EAOP Participants, 2004-05" (2006).
The persistence rates of EAOP students are equal to or better than that of their campus counterparts. University of California, "Persistence Rates of EAOP students and their campus counterparts" (2003).