The application to apply for the Arkansas High School Collegiate Academy, which provides opportunities for high school students to earn college credits in a college environment, is now open.
This academy is a partnership between the Texarkana Arkansas School District and the University of Arkansas Hope-Texarkana.
Mikki Curtis, dean of secondary programs, said the goal of the academy is to provide students with a three-year curriculum that allows them the opportunity to complete a high school diploma and an associate degree simultaneously.
"The students are located on our college campus, and they are taught by college instructors," Curtis said. "They are simultaneously working towards their high school diploma and their Associate of Arts and General Education. By the end of the program, they'll graduate with both of those and then be able to continue on towards their Bachelor's at a four-year university."
Students who will be entering the 10th grade can apply to the academy. They must be enrolled or be eligible to become enrolled as a TASD student and meet the collegiate academy entrance requirements to attend.
The academy is a public school that is free of charge and is located on the University of Arkansas-Texarkana campus.
"Another benefit is if a student is interested in going to Fayetteville, they can participate in the Arkansas Transfer Achievement scholarship," Curtis said. "If they transfer to Fayetteville after getting their Associate's, they would pay UAHT's tuition rate."
Curtis said in addition to the financial and academic benefits of the academy, it also provides students an early opportunity to acclimate themselves to college culture.
"When (students) graduate high school, they usually struggle quite a bit when they go to college," she said. "They're not prepared for the responsibility, the time management, the rigor of the courses, the layout of a college campus and basically just how to be a college student. So, our program is preparing our students for that."
While most time would be spent on a college campus while participating in this academy, students are still able to participate in extracurricular events, as long as they fit into their academic schedule.
"They still go to prom, football games, pep rallies. They still can do all of those things, but they're just taking classes on a college campus," Curtis said. "It's kind of like the best of both worlds. There are just so many students who could benefit from this."
Students must submit the collegiate academy application and college entrance scores by June 1. To apply, visit https://www.uaht.edu/arkansas-high-collegiate-academy/.
(For questions about eligibility or a paper application, contact Curtis at [email protected] or 870-722-8133. To schedule an ACCUPLACER test, visit https://www.uaht.edu/testing/ or call 870-216-2906)