What is the Achieving a College Education Program?

ACE is a nationally recognized Maricopa Colleges scholarship program that has been in the Maricopa district for 36 years. In the summer of 2003, Mesa Community College had its first cohort of students; this program allows qualified students to take college credit courses while still enrolled in high school. ACE empowers high school students to go beyond their comfort zone. We aim to motivate high school students to complete high school and continue to complete a college degree by helping students make smooth transitions between three facets of the educational pathway: high school, community college, and a university.

Requirements/Qualifications

• Must be a current sophomore who has taken at least six high school credits at the time of application submission
• Must meet at least one of the following criteria:
  • First-generation to attend college (meaning your parents have not earned a Bachelor’s Degree)
  • Living in a single-parent home, foster care, or temporary housing
  • Experiencing economic hardship
  • Environmental factors, such as working while attending high school or is a teen parent
  • Legacy-sibling or relative of an ACE participant

Applications will also be evaluated based on recommender responses, student essays, etc.
Student interviews may be conducted at the college's discretion as part of the application process.

This program is not restricted to participants on any protected basis, including race, color, or national origin. All individuals are encouraged to apply and participate.

Our Goals

• Increase the number of students graduating from high school
• Increase the number of students continuing to college
• Increase the number of students earning a degree or certificate

Application Tools

• View the Step-by-step guide to learn how to complete the application, or download the ACE Application instructions (PDF) with written directions and screenshots.

• When applying, be sure to use your personal email address
• Be sure to have two individuals who will provide a recommendation for you. (Recommenders should be individuals outside your family, such as a teacher, counselor, church leader, coach, employer, etc.)
• Have an unofficial copy of your most recent high school transcript ready

High school sophomores are recruited annually between October through December from Mesa Public Schools, Tempe Union High School District, and local charter schools to participate in this program.

More on the ACE program

• Request more information - Fill out our Contact Card