The four-week course focuses on the intersection of race, ethnicity, class, gender, and sexual orientation. Students are introduced to college-level work through 68 hours of rigorous classroom instruction. The course has four integrated modules of English, social justice, sociological inquiry, and mathematics. The first three modules emphasize the unifying theme of the intersectionality of social characteristics, and the latter module utilizes examples of this theme, where appropriate, as a basis for enhancing logical reasoning and mathematics skills.

Students who will benefit from a college-level academic program are invited to participate; some are required to complete SAW in order to be admitted into Mills College in the fall semester, while others are highly encouraged to partake in this beneficial learning experience (placement is determined by the College). SAW is designed to ensure students' scholastic and personal success at Mills College through ongoing academic year support and peer mentoring.