About 100 students in years 8-9 at Victoria University Secondary College's St Albans and Deer Park campuses attended their first 'advancement via individual determination' (AVID) classes last week.

AVID, which was launched in the United States in 1980, is aimed at better preparing students for tertiary education by providing them with academic and social support during high school.

Students will attend three classes each week to learn skills and strategies to help them secure a university place and complete their desired course.

College principal Genevieve Simson expects the program to be a big success.

"AVID has been used widely across the US and it has been incredibly successful in ensuring more students go on to complete degrees," she said.

"Universities have quite a high drop-out rate and Victoria University was keen to get this program in place so that students meet their requirements."

Ms Simson said students would benefit from more one-on-one attention from teachers.

"Each class has a maximum of 25 students with at least four adults in each class," she said.

"Fourth-year Victoria University students come in to provide tutoring twice a week and all our teachers running AVID have been trained to do so."

VU vice-chancellor, Professor Peter Dawkins said the program would provide supported learning that raised the expectations and behaviours of teaching and support staff, administrators and students.

"Evidence shows that over time AVID transforms the leadership, structure, instruction and culture of a school," he said.

"It has been operating for 31 years and serves 400,000 students in 4500 schools across four countries."