AVID is a program designed to prepare students who have not previously succeeded in a college preparatory path for admission to four-year universities and colleges. It is an in-school academic support program for middle to upper middle academic students. AVID targets the least served students in the academic middle capable of completing a college preparatory path. Colleges nationwide are striving to increase their enrollment of students in postsecondary education, especially those designated “in the middle” who are often underachieving, disadvantaged, underrepresented, or first generation college students. Of further concern is the less than adequate preparation of those who do enter college. Many of these students with potential to succeed in college need extra encouragement and academic assistance, which traditional secondary school programs do not offer.

AVID is designed to increase school wide learning and performance. The mission of AVID is to ensure that all students – especially the least served students in the academic middle – will succeed in rigorous curriculum, will enter mainstream activities of the school, will increase their enrollment in four-year colleges, and will become the educated and responsible participants and leaders of tomorrow. For more information, please visit the website at avidonline.org

• Providing academic instruction and other support to students and to prepare them for eligibility to four-year colleges and universities
• Giving students college level entry skills
• Increasing the coping skills of program participants
• Motivating students to seek a college education
• Increasing the participants’ levels of career awareness

• Learning with tutors
• Writing for all classes
• Developing success strategies
• Learning organizational skills
• Applying for scholarships
• Preparing for a professional career
• Attending field trips, such as visiting college campuses, participating in team-building programs, career fairs, and other areas of educational and cultural interest
• Interacting with guest speakers from various career fields and colleges
• Participating in extra curricular and community activities

• Strategies for success
• Writing as a tool for learning
• Oral language/public speaking skills
• Note taking
• Research

• Working with trained AVID tutors
• Collaborative study groups
• Problem solving
• Note takingFormulating and answering higher-level thinking questions, as based on Costa’s levels of intellectual functioning.