Early College Gets Strong Start

September 21st, 2009 - Filed under: News

Vanessa and Nicholas Jones were among those attending Early College orientation.

Vanessa and Nicholas Jones were among those attending Early College orientation.

As fall semester began, so did a great new opportunity for high school students from across our state. This summer, a pilot group of 170 Alabama students were admitted to UA’s Early College – an opportunity for high school juniors and seniors to earn college credit through the University in a technologically rich online learning environment. Students in Early College have the flexibility to determine the best term in which to take academic courses; 70 are currently enrolled in fall general education courses online.

Dr. Cheree Causey, director of Early College, encourages UA faculty and staff to consider exploring the program with their children. “Many of the students of our UA faculty and staff are academically ready for college study. We are honored to have them in Early College,” said Causey. “Students who are admitted during our 2009-2010 pilot year receive an Early College scholarship in addition to the faculty/staff tuition benefit. While Early College is a vibrant mechanism for high school students to get a jumpstart on college, it is also a unique opportunity for students to establish their long-term academic success.”

Students with at least a 3.0 high school GPA are eligible to apply anytime from the spring of their sophomore year to the fall of their senior year; Sept. 30, 2009, marks the next application deadline. Those accepted will attend a mandatory Gateway Day on Oct. 31 and will complete the Gateway Academic Potential course online during November as a prerequisite to Early College general education courses. Once admitted, students may earn up to 30 hours of college credit, and those who earn at least 18 hours with a 2.5 GPA or higher will be eligible for automatic admission to UA.

Early College students have access to a strong network of support, including ongoing instructor interaction, peer coaches and student/parent services. Early College currently offers courses in anthropology, history, biology, English, art history and human development and anticipates expanding the course offerings as the program progresses. Students who complete the program are eligible to enter degree programs at UA as freshmen, with potential access to freshman scholarships, Honors College, and other first-year experiences. Credit earned through Early College is accepted at all public colleges and universities in Alabama.

For more information, call 348-7083 or visit http://uaearlycollege.ua.edu/.

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