California

California is home to one of every seven Americans, and to a disproportionately large number of ethnic minorities and low-income families. More than 50 percent of California’s low-income students are African American or Latino, and an overwhelming majority is from non-college-educated families—families with no personal experience to draw from in guiding their children along the pathway to college. College Summit first took root in California in 2002, when a small number of students and teachers drawn from high schools throughout the state took part in a workshop hosted by Stanford University. In the ensuing years, College Summit has partnered with new school districts, quadrupled the number of participating students, and added new college partners, including University of California, Berkeley; University of Southern California; California Lutheran University; and Whittier College. Of the estimated 200,000 low-income youth who graduate from our nation’s high schools who are capable of success in college but do not enroll, College Summit estimates that at least 22 percent come from California, with a majority residing in the Los Angeles area. Compounding this issue is the reality that California's public high schools have one of the highest average  ratios of college counselor to students.  On average, there is one college counselor for every 978 students.

Brief Cumulative Results

The past two years have been a period of great growth for College Summit California. The College Summit California office will serve more than 1000 students this year alone, and will serve the 2500th student since the program was launched. In addition, the full senior class program will be instituted in 9 high schools this year. Other impressive results from the area include:

  • In the last three years, College Summit California has served more than 1200 students, 320 Peer Leaders, and 40 teachers from 14 different schools, doubling the number of students served each year.
  • Students from current Los Angeles-area partner schools have submitted a total of 1,301 college applications.
  • The preliminary college acceptance rate of 2004-05 Peer Leaders is 85 percent.

Regional Site Board


  • Steve Bumbaugh
    Program Officer, California Endowment
  • Stewart Kwoh
    President and Executive Director, Asian Pacific Legal Center
  • Carol Liu
    Assembly Member 44th District and Chair, California Assembly Committee on Higher Education
  • Brandon Shamim
    President, Beacon Management Group
  • Amanda Renteria
    Legislative Analyst for Senator Diane Feinstein
  • Walter Robinson
    Director of Undergraduate Admissions, University of California, Berkeley
  • Felicia Wong
    Vice President of Operations, Teachscape