About SCA Scholars

SCA Scholars is a multi-year, intensive pre-college program for female students from Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties. Through mentorship from Scripps College faculty and staff, participants develop the confidence and skills to be well-prepared college applicants, successful college students, and professionals who create positive, lasting change.

Cost

This program is provided at no cost to students or their families. Scripps College and the program’s sponsors will cover all costs.

Student Success

Since the first graduating class in 2005, SCA Scholars have enrolled in more than 65 colleges and universities across the country. Consistently, SCA Scholars graduate from high school with top academic honors and pursue higher education. Many earn prestigious national awards following high school, including the Questbridge, Gates and Posse Foundation Scholarships.

One hundred percent of the SCA Scholars high school class of 2024 have enrolled in college, including 95% who entered directly into four-year institutions. Of this group, 52.5% attend a private college or university and 47.5% attend a “very selective” or “most selective” school.

SCA Scholar Expectations

The Scripps College Academy is committed to helping students achieve their academic goals. In order to best serve our students we have developed a challenging and interactive program that requires full participation and commitment from all participants.

Academics in School

SCA Scholars are expected to maintain a minimum 3.0 GPA (unweighted) each semester, and notify SCA staff any time a Scholar anticipates earning a grade lower than a B- or is finding a class to be especially challenging. SCA Scholars are required to send a copy of their report card or transcript to SCA staff at the end of each semester.

Year-Round Activities

In addition to the Summer Program, SCA Scholars commit to actively participating in SCA’s year- round activities throughout high school. Example activities and events include book clubs, science research opportunities, field trips to museums and college fairs, writing workshops, and special events on the Scripps College campus. Grade-specific requirements for each year of participation are outlined in the Student Commitment Form.

Summer Program

Students enhance their studies by exploring issues of race, class and gender through a variety of academic subjects. Participants develop their writing, critical analysis and discussion under the mentorship of Scripps College professors. The academic program is designed to challenge the ways students think about their world and encourage them to become leaders and college-bound scholars. In addition to the academic program, participants will receive fun and informative workshops that will empower them to apply to a four year college or university,

Dates

The dates for the 2025 Summer Program are June 15-28. Scholars are expected to be available for the entire two weeks.

Year-Round Activities

Following the Summer Program, SCA Scholars receive academic resources and mentorship throughout high school. Students attend weekend events on the Scripps College campus including book clubs, science research opportunities, college preparation workshops and field trips. As seniors, SCA Scholars receive personalized assistance in the college application process.

Limited transportation to year-round activities is provided to students who live more than 20 miles away from the Scripps College campus in Claremont, CA.

Sample Year-Round Activities:

  • Field trips to large college fairs
  • Field trips to cultural centers such as local museums
  • College application workshops
  • The Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Mathematics Program (STEAM)

About the STEAM Scholars Program

Each fall SCA Scholars are invited to participate in the Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Mathematics Program. Held over 5 Saturday meetings, this program allows SCA Scholars work in small groups in a laboratory setting with college science professors to conduct original science research. Projects are diverse, allowing students to explore arts, chemistry, biology, physics, computer science, mathematics, and/or psychology; the student to faculty ratio of 6:1 provides a hands-on academic experience. Students gain skills in designing an experiment by forming a hypothesis, observing and measuring the experiment in progress, writing results, and reporting, evaluating, and supporting their findings. At the conclusion of the research sessions, students present their findings to family and the Scripps College community in a symposium.