Over the next several months, you’ll be hearing about NSCS’ signature program, PACE, a lot. Whether you’re a PACE expert or it’s your first time hosting a PACE activity, we thought it would be a good idea to review the ins and outs of this program for the new school year.
And now to answer the question you’re all asking: So… what is PACE? PACE stands for “Planning to Achieve Collegiate Excellence.” NSCS created the PACE program to help increase the number of students who graduate from high school and are adequately prepared for college through the three PACE components: Mentoring, Assemblies, & March to College™ Day.
Mentoring
Mentoring partners NSCS chapters with local middle and high school-aged students on a regular basis, encouraging them to graduate high school and build the skills necessary for college through one-on-one tutoring.
Assemblies
NSCS chapters also host Assemblies at their local partner schools to have interactive discussions about college preparedness. PACE Assemblies create a fun learning environment, which is facilitated by NSCS members and volunteers. PACE Assemblies also cover topics beyond college preparedness and strives to teach life lessons.
March to College™ Day
The program wraps up with the annual March to College™ Day, during which participants from local schools spend the day on your college campus to experience college life firsthand. Students attend classes, eat in the dining hall, get a tour of the dorms, and participate in other campus activities.
In an average academic year, PACE utilizes more than 5,500 NSCS student volunteers and 3,000 other volunteers to provide services to over 6,000 middle and high school students across the nation. That’s over 8,000 volunteers nationwide working to help local students become more prepared for college and inspire collegiate success!
So now that you know what PACE is, get ready to participate in PACE on your college campus! You’ll be receiving more information about PACE and how your chapter can get involved in the coming weeks. In the meantime, if you are a NSCS Chapter Officer, check out all the PACE resources we’ve provided for you on the Member Portal. It’s a great way to start brainstorming and planning your PACE program.