Program Experience

WHAT IS COLLEGE HORIZONS?

College Horizons is a 6-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 2025 College Horizons Application is now live!

Apply

APPLICATION DEADLINE:

January 29, 2025 (11:59 PM MST)

WHAT TO EXPECT

We have a busy daily schedule with programming from 8:00am to 10:00pm daily. 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

DATES & LOCATIONS:

Hawaiʻi Preparatory Academy

Waimea, HI

June 7 – 13, 2025

Yale University

New Haven, CT

June 26 – July 2, 2025

Northwestern University

Evanston, IL

June 26 – July 2, 2025

EXPERIENCE LIFE ON A COLLEGE CAMPUS

College Horizons is a 6-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.

Reflections from our program alumni

This is truly one of the best programs I have ever attended. I felt like I was surrounded by family here at College Horizons. Being able to learn about the college experience and process with people like me was amazing. I usually get really home sick, but here I was comfortable and felt welcomed all the time. I am forever grateful for this experience.
J. Earl

Puyallup Tribe, CH 2024 @ University of Notre Dame

It is an amazing program, they helped me recognize my story to share to colleges and universities. The community with faculty, staff members and other students is one of the most kind and uplifting program I’ve been too.
B. Ferguson

Oglala Lakota Tribe, CH 2024 @ University of Notre Dame

If I could do the program again, I would in a heartbeat. This program taught me things that I would have never have known about the college admissions process and introduced me to numerous colleges and resources that I never knew existed. The program also allowed me to meet and genuinely connect with other like-minded native students that I have since become very close friends with in the short amount of time that I got to spend with them.
M. Tsosie

Navajo Nation, CH 2024 @ University of Pennsylvania

The program was a very helpful and great way to connect with colleges I had interest in previously, but an even better way to find new colleges that offer amazing oppurtunities.
A. Kalaau

Native Hawaiian, CH 2024 @ University of Notre Dame

It is a great community! Everybody is extremely involved and loves to help out! No matter who you are, you are heard and have an impact on others. NEVER forget your native pride and be proud to bring that on campus.
K. Yuen

Native Hawaiian, CH 2024 @ University of Pennsylvania

College Horizons is the perfect place to connect with your community, test the college experience, and strengthen your confidence in the college application process! I will look back on this week for years to come.
N. Deschene

Navajo Nation, CH 2024 @ University of Pennsylvania

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For application questions, please email apply@collegehorizons.org.

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