Nicholas Academic Centers

The mission of the Nicholas Academic Centers (NAC) is to provide support to under-served high school students to improve their academic performance, achieve their full scholarly and social potential, promote their admission to colleges and universities, retention, and graduation, and to impart the skills and knowledge necessary for them to live successful and productive lives. To fulfill its mission, the NAC implements a myriad of strategies: Academic Services that provide academic support, tutoring, and advisement throughout students’ high school years; Mentoring Services to resolve individual, familial, and community issues and conflicts, and College Access Services that provide assistance with the college application process, i.e. college matching, standardized tests, college applications, financial aid, NAC Scholarship Stipends, and college selection; and College Success Services that provides college enrollment, college retention, and college graduation support services. The NAC provides services to over 600 students every year. The majority of our students attend Santa Ana Unified School District (SAUSD) schools. We also provide services to a small amount of Non-SAUSD students. In addition to underclassmen, the NAC provides mentoring and need-based scholarships to alumni who have graduated the centers and are enrolled in college.