STUDENTS ARE YEARS AWAY FROM COMMITTING TO A COLLEGE EDUCATION .... BUT IT'S NEVER TO EARLY TO PREPARE FOR COLLEGE LIFE. TODAY, 15-HUNDRED 7TH GRADERS FROM SANTA CRUZ COUNTY MIDDLE SCHOOLS GOT A HEAD START ON WHAT THEY NEED TO DO TO PREPARE FOR A HIGHER EDUCTION. ACTION NEWS REPORTER PHIL GOMEZ HAS THE STORY. U-C SANTA CRUZ WELCOMED THE FUTURE CLASS OF 20-23 DURING THE SECOND ANNUAL SANTA CRUZ COLLEGE COMMITTMENT 7TH GRADE COLLEGE CAREER SUMMIT. THE PROGRAM FOCUSES ON MIDDLE SCHOOLERS PROVIDING THEM INSIGHTS INTO WHAT CLASSES THEY NEED TO TAKE IN HIGH SCHOOL IF THEY WANT TO MOVE ON TO HIGHER EDUCATION I think the earlier you start those conversations the sooner students start thinking about. They see this as something, I think and can want todo they'll likely be able to make it. MIDDLES SCHOOLERS GOT AN EDUCATION ON WHAT KIND OF CLASSES THEY'LL NEED TO TAKE, WHEN THEY REACH HIGH SCHOOL, IF THEY WANT TO CONTINUE THEIR HIGHER EDUCATION. This began with a pilot program of three hundred students, this year it's expanded to include 15- hundred students We don't want just some students in our county to have an opportunity to have this kind of opporutnity but each and every student to have the opportunity becasue we know they can be successful if they're exposed to how they can best prepare. I got to see what it would be like to get to college and I got to see the beautiful outdoors of UCSC. SEVENTH GRADERS ALSO TOURED CAMPUS... FOR SOME STUDENTS IT WAS THEIR FIRST VISIT TO THE UNIVESITY We got to do a lot of fun stuff and then we saw campus . it was pretty cool . I like to come to the university. ANOTHER GROUP OF 15- HUNDRED MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS WILL ALSO GET EXPOSURE TO HIGH EDUCTION NEXT APRIL 25TH WHEN THE 7TH GRADE COLLEGE CAREER SUMMIT COMES TO C-S-U MONTEREY. IN SANTA CRUZ, PHIL GOMEZ, KSBW ACTION EIGHT NEWS.