Achieving a College Education (ACE)

Are you interested in the ACE program?

APPLY NOW online - create an account and start your application

RETURN TO APPLICATION online - to return to a saved application

or print the APPLICATION and email it to earlycollege@mesacc.edu, drop it off at your MPS high school MCC representative or our office.

ACE Application deadline is December 16th, 2024.

Contact ACE

Early College Department

480-461-6200

earlycollege@mesacc.edu

Southern & Dobson

Office Location: GC 54B
Be Surrounded by a Community of Support!

Read the FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions for ACE

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 and will be a Junior at the start of the program
  • Must meet two or more of the following criteria:
    • First-generation college student (meaning your parents have not earned a Bachelor’s Degree)
    • Demonstrate financial need (single-parent home, economic hardship, etc)
    • Under-represented population
    • Environmental risk factors:
      • Works 10-30 hours weekly
      • Lives in the foster care environment
      • Lives in temporary housing
      • Teen parent
    • Legacy-sibling or relative of an ACE participant

***Even if you think you might not fit all the requirements, we still encourage you to apply and let us decide.

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