AVID RECRUITMENT

Application Process for Current Eighth Grade Students

Eighth grade students entering San Clemente High School as freshmen will receive an informational brochure about the AVID Program in their registration packets. SCHS academic advisors usually distribute the registration packets to the students at their middle schools in March. Eighth grade students who are interested and would like to apply for the AVID Program should complete the bottom portion of the informational flier and return it with the rest of their registration materials. The SCHS academic advisors usually return to the middle schools in April to collect all registration materials. Eighth grade students and parents are invited to attend SCHS's Eighth Grade Parent night, usually held in late March. At that time, students and parents learn more about AVID through a short presentation by the AVID coordinator and AVID students. After the presentation portion of the evening, interested students and parents have the opportunity to meet AVID seniors and the coordinator at the AVID booth to discuss more about the program and the application process. Again, interested students are encouraged to fill out the bottom portion of the informational flier.

All students who return the bottom portion of the flier, which shows their interest in the AVID program, are then mailed an informational brochure that explains the AVID program in more depth and outlines the application process in detail. The application process is described below.

• Students type a 1-page response to this prompt: Explain why you would like to join AVID.
• Students request a copy of their transcript and test scores (stanines) from their middle school academic advisor. They attach these documents to the back of their essay and create a packet to bring to the interview.
• Students attend the mandatory AVID informational / interview session in May at SCHS in Room S-4 (located in one of the buildings closest to Albertsons). Additional interview opportunities are not offered. If an emergency arises, students send their essay response to SCHS, attention Erin Dollar.
• Parents/guardians plan on 30 minutes for their child to be interviewed. During this time, parents learn about the program and have the opportunity to ask questions.
• Students who pass the interview are then screened for grades and test scores to verify that they meet the AVID profile.
• Students who gain acceptance into AVID are notified within the following two weeks by mail.
• An informational meeting for parents and students accepted into the AVID Program is held the first or second week of freshman year.

Application Process For Current SCHS Freshmen:

Students who do not join AVID as freshmen are considered for the AVID Program in one of two ways. If a SCHS staff member or a current AVID student nominates a student for AVID, the program coordinator will review the student's transcript. If the student meets the AVID profile, the AVID coordinator sends the student an invitation for an interview. If the interview goes well, the AVID coordinator reviews the AVID Contract and asks the student to consider the AVID Program and to talk to his or her parents about joining. If the student decides to join, he or she must deliver the signed AVID Contract to the AVID coordinator as soon as possible.

If a current SCHS student is interested in joining but has not been nominated, the student may visit the AVID room and meet the AVID coordinator. If the initial meeting is positive, the AVID coordinator will invite the student to return for a formal interview. The student is asked to get an unofficial transcript from guidance in the main SCHS office and bring it to the interview. If the interview goes well and the student meets the AVID profile, the AVID coordinator reviews the AVID Contract and asks the student to consider the AVID Program and to talk to his or her parents about joining. If the student decides to join, he or she must deliver the signed AVID Contract to the AVID coordinator as soon as possible.