TL;DR
The Pomona College Academy for Youth Success (PAYS) is a free, three-year college-access program at Pomona College in Claremont, California. It supports high school students from underrepresented backgrounds, particularly first-generation and low-income students, who live in or attend school in five Southern California counties. You attend college-level classes, receive admissions guidance, and spend four weeks living on a college campus each summer, at no cost to your family. PAYS is worth considering if you’re an eligible ninth grader ready to commit to three summers of academic and college preparation.
Want research experience on top of college prep? Apply to Horizon’s research program and work with a professor or PhD scholar on an academic research paper.
Pros and cons of PAYS at a glance
PAYS combines free college preparation with a sustained relationship with Pomona College, but its ninth-grade entry requirement and limited geographic eligibility mean it isn’t an option for everyone.
| Pros | Cons |
| Completely free, including housing, meals, activities, and field-trip transportation | Only open to students living in or attending school in five Southern California counties |
| Three years of support instead of a single summer experience | You must apply as a current ninth grader |
| College-level classes taught by Pomona faculty | Requires a commitment across three consecutive summers and the school year |
| College admissions guidance, SAT preparation, and financial aid workshops | Around 30 new students are admitted each year, according to Pomona |
| A close-knit student cohort and alumni community | The main focus is college preparation, although rising seniors also participate in faculty-guided research |
| A five-day Road to College trip for rising | The residential summer schedule may not suit every student or family |
Source: Official PAYS overview, application page, and PAYS experience, checked October 2026.
What is PAYS?
The Pomona College Academy for Youth Success is a free, three-year college-access program run by Pomona College’s Draper Center for Community Partnerships. Its mission is to help students from groups traditionally underrepresented in higher education prepare for admission to selective colleges and universities.
PAYS is a three-year program that supports you from the summer after ninth grade through high school graduation. Each summer, you spend four weeks on Pomona College’s campus, with college-preparation activities and academic support continuing during the school year.
Residential means you live in campus housing instead of commuting from home each day. During the summer, you live in a Pomona College residence hall in Claremont, California, attend classes, eat on campus, and take part in activities with other scholars. Its summer curriculum combines college-level mathematics, critical inquiry, writing, electives, workshops, and field trips. As you progress, you’ll also receive guidance on college admissions and financial aid.
Here’s how the three years generally work:
| Year in PAYS | High school grade | Summer | School year |
| First year | Rising 10th grader | Math and problem-solving, Critical Inquiry: Analysis and Writing, and electives | Continued college-access support and academic preparation |
| Second year | Rising 11th grader | Core courses, electives, and activities that build academic and college-readiness skills | Continued advising and preparation for college |
| Third year | Rising 12th grader | Core courses, electives, faculty-guided research, and college preparation | College application and financial aid support |
Source: The PAYS Experience and What Is PAYS?, checked October 2026. Activities can vary by year.
One feature worth knowing about is the Road to College (R2C) trip. Rising seniors take a five-day, PAYS-sponsored trip to visit public and private colleges across California. It’s a chance to see different campuses and think more concretely about where you might want to study.
Who is eligible for PAYS?
You must be a current ninth grader and meet PAYS’s geographic eligibility requirements to apply as a new student. The program considers first-generation and low-income backgrounds as part of its selection process.
You should meet the following criteria:
- Grade: You must currently be enrolled in ninth grade. Students who are already in 10th grade cannot apply as new participants.
- Location: You must live in or attend high school in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, or Ventura County.
- Background: PAYS particularly seeks students from groups underrepresented in higher education. The program’s mission emphasizes first-generation college students and those from low-income households. 75% of participating families report low or very low incomes.
- Academic preparation: The selection committee considers academic potential holistically. Taking Geometry or Integrated Math II is an additional consideration, not a universal requirement.
If you don’t meet these requirements, skip ahead to Alternatives to PAYS for other college-preparation and research opportunities.
How much does PAYS cost?
PAYS is completely free for participating students and their families. Pomona College covers housing, food, activities, and transportation to field trips during the program. Students only need to bring basic school supplies, such as pencils and paper.
PAYS gives you the chance to take college-level classes and experience campus life without putting the cost of a residential summer program on your family. Many pre-college experiences charge thousands of dollars, and travel can add further costs.
If you’re comparing opportunities, read Horizon’s guide to Is It Worth Paying for a Paid Summer Program?. It can help you weigh the cost of a program against its teaching, mentorship, and tangible outcomes.
What is PAYS’ acceptance rate?
PAYS does not publish an official acceptance rate, but third-party reporting gives a useful estimate of its selectivity. A 2023 CBS Los Angeles report stated that the program typically received around 300 applications for approximately 30 places in each incoming class. That works out to an estimated acceptance rate of about 10%.
What does this mean for you? You should take the application seriously, but don’t assume that you need a perfect academic record or an extraordinary list of accomplishments. The selection committee considers the full application and academic potential.
Start with an honest account of your educational experiences, interests, challenges, and goals. For a broader look at selective opportunities, check out The Most Competitive Summer Programs for High School Students.
How to apply to PAYS
PAYS prefers online applications, but you can also submit a paper application by email, mail, or fax. The selection committee reviews applications holistically and may invite some applicants to an interview.
Your application should include:
- A completed application form. Use the official PAYS application page to access the online or paper application.
- Two required essays. The first asks you to reflect on your educational experience so far, what you would change about it, and what you would keep. The second asks you to discuss the experiences and challenges that have shaped your ambitions, achievements, and outlook. Each essay has a 500-word limit.
- An optional third essay. You can use this essay, with a 350-word limit, to share a meaningful background, interest, perspective, or experience that would otherwise be missing from your application.
- Your current academic-year transcript. An official copy is preferred, but it isn’t mandatory.
- Two recommendation forms. One must come from a teacher in a core subject such as mathematics, English, history, or science. The other can come from a teacher, counsellor, coach, or community leader. You may submit up to four recommendation letters in total.
Key dates for the next application cycle
Pomona has published the following dates for the 2026–2027 selection cycle:
| Application milestone | Date |
| Application opens | November 9, 2026 |
| Application and transcript deadline | February 22, 2027 |
| Recommendation deadline | March 1, 2027 |
| Decision notifications | April 16, 2027 |
| Residential summer session | June 20 to July 16, 2027 |
Source: Official PAYS application page, checked October 2026.
A few practical tips can help you prepare:
- Start early. You have only one opportunity to apply as a new ninth-grade student, so leave enough time to reflect on the essay prompts.
- Ask your recommenders well ahead of the deadline. Give them time to understand why you’re applying and submit their forms.
- Write honestly. You don’t need to manufacture a dramatic personal story. Explain what you’ve learned, what you hope to change, and why college preparation matters to you.
If research interests you too, Why Starting Research Early Matters explains how you can begin exploring academic questions before college.
Who teaches at PAYS?
PAYS combines instruction from Pomona College faculty with support from college students and program alumni. The teaching team includes faculty who lead the core mathematics and Critical Inquiry courses, while teaching assistants support classroom learning and run electives.
Teaching assistants are generally Pomona College students or PAYS alumni with relevant experience. Community advisors help create a supportive residential environment, and mathematics tutors provide additional academic assistance.
The program’s alumni connection is particularly notable. Andres Aguilar, the PAYS director, is himself a former scholar, as reported by CBS Los Angeles. The program has also employed alumni as teaching assistants and tutors, including Cesar Meza, a former Fontana High School student who became a mathematics instructor while pursuing a PhD.
Learning from people who have been through PAYS themselves can give you practical advice on handling coursework, choosing colleges, and applying when you have limited guidance at school or home.
What results does PAYS show?
PAYS publishes evidence of student progress and college access, however, its publicly available results do not constitute a complete, independently evaluated outcomes report.
Pomona’s program results page reports that more than 90% of participants surveyed perceived improvements in areas such as problem-solving, writing, and critical thinking. More than 70% reported greater interest in attending a private liberal arts college after participating.
The college also reports that PAYS participants have been accepted to four-year colleges and universities, with alumni enrolling at institutions including Harvard, MIT, Stanford, Columbia, UCLA, and Pomona itself.
A 2022 closing ceremony celebrated 22 recent high school graduates who were preparing to attend college. This number however represents one graduating class, not the program’s annual intake or total alumni population.
These outcomes are encouraging, but acceptance into a four-year college is not the same as completing a degree, and historical survey findings should not be read as a guarantee of future results. If you apply, consider the program’s sustained academic support and college guidance alongside these reported outcomes.
What students and parents say about PAYS
Alumni accounts highlight three recurring themes: greater confidence, exposure to college life, and a stronger sense of academic community. Pomona College’s reporting and CBS Los Angeles‘s coverage offer a few firsthand perspectives.
In Pomona’s 2022 feature, PAYS alum Linh Le described the experience as an opportunity to discover a love of public speaking. David Luviano of Rialto summed up the program as “academically rigorous, but so many opportunities to build community.” Another scholar explained that, before PAYS, they had little idea what college was like.
CBS Los Angeles also interviewed Cesar Meza, who described the value of learning and supporting others. His comments emphasised the importance of community, teamwork, and having people you can rely on.
These accounts suggest that PAYS is about more than academic preparation. Spending time with other students who share your ambitions can help you see college as a realistic next step.
There is a limitation, however: these are selected alumni accounts, not a representative survey of every participant or parent. We also did not find a substantial body of directly relevant Reddit discussion to treat as reliable evidence of student opinion.
Who should apply to PAYS?
PAYS is a good fit if you’re an eligible ninth grader looking for consistent college guidance and academic support throughout high school.
You may be a good fit if you want to strengthen your academic skills, learn how selective college admissions work, understand financial aid, and spend time in a college environment before applying yourself.
You should also be comfortable committing to three consecutive summers and participating in activities during the school year. The program asks you to contribute substantially to a learning community.
PAYS can be particularly valuable if your school has limited college-advising resources or if your family would benefit from additional guidance about applications and paying for college.
Who should look somewhere else
PAYS won’t be the right option if you live outside its eligible counties, are already past ninth grade, or want a program centred on independent research.
Its geographic and grade restrictions are firm, so you shouldn’t spend time preparing an application if you don’t meet them. You may also prefer a different opportunity if you want a short, one-time experience instead of a three-year commitment.
Research-focused students should know that PAYS does include faculty-guided research for rising seniors. However, that is one component of a broader college-access program, not its central purpose.
If you want to develop your own research question and work closely with an academic mentor, explore Horizon Academic Research Program. Horizon’s online format means you don’t need to live near a particular university. You can also browse 14 Research Programs for Complete Beginners for more options.
Alternatives to PAYS
If you want to conduct independent research and not limit your focus to college preparation, Horizon Academic Research Program offers a different kind of experience. You work one-on-one with a PhD scholar or professor from a leading university to develop an academic research paper, typically 20 to 25 pages. Horizon offers online cohorts across the year, with options in subjects spanning STEM, humanities, and social sciences. Need-based financial aid is available, although it is competitive. Explore the program details to understand the formats and current requirements.
Here are three other programs worth considering, depending on your grade, interests, and budget.
| Program | Model | Cost | Best for |
| Horizon Academic Research Program | Online academic research mentorship | Tuition charged; financial aid available | High school students seeking an individual research project with academic mentorship |
| QuestBridge College Prep Scholars | College-preparation resources, admissions guidance, and access to opportunities | Free | High-achieving, low-income high school juniors preparing for selective college admissions |
| Summer Science Program (SSP) | Intensive, collaborative, residential STEM research | Tuition-based, with financial aid covering demonstrated need for admitted students | Students interested in advanced STEM research, subject to program-specific eligibility |
| Telluride Association Summer Seminar (TASS) | Free residential humanities and social-science seminars | Free for participants | Students interested in critical thinking, discussion, and interdisciplinary humanities or social sciences |
Source: Official Horizon, QuestBridge, SSP, and Telluride Association pages, checked October 2026. Confirm current application dates, grade requirements, and program availability before applying.
These alternatives serve different needs. QuestBridge is for juniors, while SSP has specific academic and grade requirements. TASS is a humanities-focused option rather than a STEM research program. None is a direct replacement for PAYS’s three-year structure.
If cost is a deciding factor, Horizon’s guide to 14 Grants for High School Students Research is another useful starting point.
Frequently asked questions about PAYS
Yes, PAYS is free for all admitted scholars. Pomona covers housing, meals, activities, and transportation to field trips, so participating families do not pay program tuition.
No, you must be a current ninth grader when applying as a new participant. If you’re already in 10th grade, look for other college-preparation or academic programs that accept your grade level.
Yes, the summer program is residential. You stay in Pomona College’s residence halls for four weeks each summer, attend classes, and participate in campus activities with other scholars.
You must live in or attend high school in one of five eligible counties: Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, or Ventura. Students outside these areas should look for programs with broader geographic eligibility.
Yes, college preparation is a central part of PAYS. Support includes college-admissions guidance, SAT preparation, college advisors, and bilingual financial aid workshops for students and families.
Yes, PAYS offers faculty-guided research opportunities to rising seniors. If you want a more sustained, individually mentored research project, Horizon also runs online cohorts across the year, including fall, winter, spring, and summer options. You can explore Horizon’s research programs to see which format fits your schedule.
Our verdict: Is PAYS worth it?
For an eligible ninth grader, PAYS is one of the strongest free college-preparation opportunities to consider in California. Its biggest advantage is the combination of three summers on a college campus, academic instruction, sustained advising, and support with admissions and financial aid. You have three years to get familiar with college expectations, strengthen your academic skills, and work out your next steps with guidance along the way.
The tradeoffs are real: you must meet strict grade and location requirements, earn one of a limited number of places, and commit for three years. PAYS also prioritises college access over independent research, although seniors can take part in faculty-guided projects.
If you want research experience too, apply to Horizon or join an info session to learn more.
Image source: Pomona College