Program Experience
WHAT IS COLLEGE HORIZONS?
College Horizons is a 5-day pre-college program preparing American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian students for the college application process. Each summer, College Horizons hosts 200-300 college-bound Native high school students from around the country, split between different university host sites. Participants learn about a variety of colleges and universities by connecting with our partner colleges and will establish personal relationships with college admission representatives as well as high school counselors along the way.
Over the course of the week, faculty teach on the college admission and financial aid process and guide students to complete parts of their college application including: the Common Application, personal essay, activities list, financial aid scholarship list, and develop a college list to research and possibly apply to. In the process, Native students learn more about themselves, what story they want to share in their college applications and consider what they want out of their college experience.
The 2026 College Horizons Application is now live!
APPLICATION DEADLINE:
January 28, 2026 (5:00 PM MST)
WHAT TO EXPECT
Each student will have multiple opportunities to work one-on-one with admissions officers throughout the program. The amount of individualized attention spent on each student’s application is what makes this program exciting, challenging and unique. College Horizons wants to connect highly-motivated Native students with experts on the college admissions and financial aid process, so that students feel confident and ready to apply to college in their senior year of high school.
Learn from admission officers on how to be a competitive applicant
Research and develop a list of ten colleges to apply to
Draft a personal essay that tells your story
Understand the financial aid process and how to complete FAFSA
Connect with Native youth from around the country who want to go to college
Attend a college fair featuring our partner colleges
Get advice on how to succeed in college as a Native student
Receive ACT/SAT test taking strategies and resources
DAILY PROGRAM AGENDA
We have a busy schedule with programming from 8:00am to 10:00pm daily.
A detailed agenda will be available closer to the program.
7:30am - 8:30am Breakfast
What many students don’t realize is that one of the biggest parts of any college experience is the food! We will eat all meals in the campus dining halls at set times throughout the day. Meals are a great opportunity to speak with a college admissions officer and start asking them questions about their school in a more casual setting.
8:30am - 12:00pm Small Group Meetings
Each student is assigned to a Small Group, which will consist of around 10-15 students and 6-8 faculty. At CH, you will spend the most time each day with your Small Group! During Small Group meeting time, students workshop their applications, essays and conduct research on colleges. Faculty give mini-presentations and break down the college application process. Students might also use this time for 1-1 meetings with faculty or complete the next draft of a homework assignment.
12:00pm - 1:00pm Lunch
What many students don’t realize is that one of the biggest parts of any college experience is the food! We will eat all meals in the campus dining halls at set times throughout the day. Meals are a great opportunity to speak with a college admissions officer and start asking them questions about their school in a more casual setting.
1:00pm - 2:30pm Large Group Presentations
Large group meetings usually touch on broad topics on college admissions and financial aid. These sessions are facilitated by our expert program faculty. We usually follow-up with a Small Group Session to debrief the topic afterwards.
Large Group Sessions
- Opening Ceremony – Student & Faculty Introductions
- The Application Process
- Campus Tour & Hosting College Info Session
- The Financial Aid Process
- Test Optional & ACT/SAT Test Prep Strategies
- Native Students in College Panel
- College Fair & College Info Sessions
- Closing Ceremony & Traditional/Ohana Night
2:30pm - 4:00pm Small Group Meetings
Each student will work directly with a Mentor who will check in with you daily on completed homework and ask what additional help or questions you have. These Mentors will be in addition to your List Maker (college counselor who will help you build your college list), Essay Specialist (college admission counselor who gives direct feedback on your college essay), and Small Group Leader (faculty member who guides your Small Group throughout the week).
4:00pm - 5:00pm College Info Sessions / College Fair
As a participant, you will have access to all of our partner college representatives, who serve as program “faculty.” We have large schools, small schools, private universities, public universities, rural institutions and urban campuses all represented. Each day, four or five colleges give information sessions about their campuses to our students. The College Fair is an opportunity to gather admissions materials and brochures and speak to any of the schools you are interested in.
5:00pm - 7:00pm Dinner
What many students don’t realize is that one of the biggest parts of any college experience is the food! We will eat all meals in the campus dining halls at set times throughout the day. Meals are a great opportunity to speak with a college admissions officer and start asking them questions about their school in a more casual setting.
7:00pm - 7:30pm Large Group Assembly
College Horizons gathers the large group to recap the day and share important announcements. Alumni interns will share a brief presentation about their college journey as a College Horizon alum.
7:30pm - 9:00pm Study Hall in Small Groups
Each student will work directly with a Mentor who will check in with you daily on completed homework and ask what additional help or questions you have. These Mentors will be in addition to your List Maker (college counselor who will help you build your college list), Essay Specialist (college admission counselor who gives direct feedback on your college essay), and Small Group Leader (faculty member who guides your Small Group throughout the week).
9:00pm - 10:00pm Dorm Check-In & Lights Out
Part of the fun of College Horizons is experiencing dorm and residential life. For many students, this can be one of the highlights of the program. Dorms are gender specific (either by building and/or floors) and accommodations are made for non-binary students. Students are housed with roommates (in doubles, triples, or quads) who are usually from another part of the country and another school so they can get to know someone new. It is important to know that there will be a curfew instituted each night. CH Staff and faculty complete dorm check-in each night. Generally check-in takes place between 9:00pm and 10:00pm. A student is not permitted to leave the dorm until 6:00am the following morning. Early risers can go for walk/runs with other faculty/students. Faculty will be your neighbors in the dorm as well.
DATES & LOCATIONS:
University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, CA
June 26 – July 1, 2026
Dartmouth College
Hanover, NH
June 26 – July 1, 2026
EXPERIENCE LIFE ON A COLLEGE CAMPUS
College Horizons is a 5-day overnight program. Students are housed in a residence hall (in doubles, triples, or quads) with roommates who will be from another part of the country so they can get to know someone new. We will eat all meals in the campus dining halls at set times throughout the day. Meals are a great opportunity to speak with a college admissions officer and start asking them questions about their school in a more casual setting. Students learn to navigate a college campus, walking daily between the residence halls, dining hall and academic buildings for work time.
College Horizons can seem like a whirlwind. It can be a challenge to do all the work that we ask of students over the course of a week, but it is also an extremely fun challenge. Each and every student admitted to our program has the ability to complete the program – otherwise we would never have admitted you! Our job is to help you understand and demystify the college application process. It is our cultural strength and ancestral stamina that makes us unique. We believe that bringing together the strengths from Western knowledge systems and affirming the strengths of Indigenous knowledge systems allows Indigenous students to enter higher education being their full selves. That is where our motto, “College Pride, Native Pride” comes from!
Overall, we are a very diverse group of students and faculty. But we share the overarching goal to help you clarify what you want and how to navigate the college application process. So much of this program is what you make of it. Ask questions, get involved, and have fun!
REFLECTIONS FROM OUR ALUMNI
College Horizons is a very great opportunity that you should definitely take if you are stuck on where you are at in the college application process. Coming into this program I had little knowledge on college applications and what programs that can help us. Now on the 5th day I have learned so much in such a short time and that sayʻs a lot, they dedicate their hard work and time into helping us, so take that help and always advocate for yourself. Donʻt be afraid, they are family.
College Horizons is a game changer. It is the best experience and the faculty are one of a kind. They give you the college day-like feel and really walk you through everything. CH faculty really inspired and motivated me to want to go to college more.
This experience was so helpful for me, as someone who had little to no idea about what colleges I wanted to attend, how I could apply and what I could do to receive financial aid. I am definitely leaving here feeling much more confident about life after high school, thank you to all the staff at College Horizons!
College Horizons truly felt like a community. Even though most of us didn’t know each other at fi rst, we quickly built real connections over the week. It created a space where we could ask questions and have direct access to admissions counselors, something I never expected to experience. The info sessions really opened my eyes to new perspectives and helped me see college in a whole new way. You end up learning so much more than you think.
College Horizons was an amazing experience! The community here is very strong and welcoming. I felt comfortable being around everyone, getting to know other Indigenous students, and making new friends. It truly created an atmosphere that centered Native experiences while providing valuable information about college. Through the lessons, activities, and college fairs I was introduced to new colleges and have learned so much! I had such a great time and I will value this experience forever!
College Horizons is a brilliant program for all Native students who truly want to make an impact in the world. This program has prepared me far more than anything that I would have done on my own which I am eternally grateful for. I highly recommend any Native student to apply to this wonderful program.
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Have a question?
For application questions, please email apply@collegehorizons.org.