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Joint Enrollment / Accel Program

Joint Enrollment : What is it?

The University System of Georgia recognizes the need to provide academically talented high school students with opportunities for acceleration of their formal academic programs. This recognition has led to the development of two organized programs: (1) a joint enrollment program in which the student, while continuing his/her enrollment in high school as a junior or senior, enrolls in courses for college credit; and (2) an early admission program in which the student enrolls as a full-time college student following completion of the junior year in high school. To participate in either program a student must be enrolled in public or private secondary high school which is accredited by one of the following:  
  • a regional accrediting association (such as the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools)
  • the Georgia Accrediting Commission
  • the Georgia Private School Accrediting Commission (GAPSAC)
  • the Accrediting Commission for Independent Study (ACIS) (List of Accredited Centers for Independent Study (PDF))
  • enrolled in a public school regulated by a school system and state department of education.


Homeschooled students may be considered for joint enrollment if they are enrolled in Nontraditional Educational Centers that are recognized by GAPSAC or by state departments of education. Students attending non-accredited home school programs or non-accredited high schools may also be eligible to participate in joint enrollment opportunities if they meet all general admission requirements for dual enrollment and have both validated their on-track Required High School Curriculum (RHSC) units using our Home School Curriculum Evaluation Form and submitted a current copy of their Declaration of Intent to Home School as filed with a local Board of Education.

PLEASE NOTE: The University of West Georgia has specific identification terms for juniors and seniors who are joint enrolled. A joint enrolled high school junior is classified as a Gifted Junior and a senior joint enrolled student is classified as a Senior Enrichment Student.

 

Accel Program :  Paying for Joint Enrollment or Early Admission

Students who are interested in joint enrollment or early admission may be eligible for funding under ACCEL.  The Accel Program is for students classified as high school juniors and seniors at accredited public or private high schools in the state of Georgia and is operated in all school terms except summer. The program pays for tuition, a portion of institutional mandatory fees, and provides participating students with a book allowance, in keeping with the benefits provided by the HOPE Program. Transportation and other expenses are the responsibility of the student, including tuition and other expenses for non-core courses, if any are taken. Additionally, students are responsible for the remaining balance of fees after the HOPE balance has been applied toward the institutional fees. Courses pursued by students under this program must come from the approved course directory available at the Georgia Student Finance Commission website which is supplied to high school counselors in the state. Courses are available only in the areas of the core graduation requirements for college preparatory students: English; Mathematics; Social Studies; Science; Foreign Language. Credit hours paid by the Accel Program for the student will count towards the limit of postsecondary hours paid for by the HOPE (Helping Outstanding Pupils Educationally) Program. Additional requirements or restrictions for participating in this program may be imposed by the high school.

Some General Considerations Regarding Accel Program:

  • Students must be admitted to a postsecondary institution, according to the rules of that institution, prior to participating in the Accel Program - approval by the high school to take postsecondary courses does not ensure that the student is admitted to the postsecondary institution. Also, it is the student's responsibility to schedule the exact courses approved by the high school.  Space in some college courses may be limited, and some courses offered may not have space available.  Accepted students will receive information about setting up an advisement appointment upon acceptance.
  • College credit obtained at one postsecondary institution may or may not be transferred for credit to another institution - the permissible credit allowed for courses taken elsewhere is determined solely by the receiving postsecondary institution.
  • Credit hours taken under the Accel Program will count against the scholarship and cumulative hour caps if the student becomes a HOPE scholar.
  • The book allowance received by the student may not be sufficient, in some cases, to pay the complete costs of books required for the course or courses taken. In this case, the student must pay the additional costs.
  • Students are responsible for the remaining balance of fees after the HOPE balance has been applied toward the institutional fees.
  • It is the duty of the student and parent, high school official, and postsecondary official to retain copies of all submitted forms for their respective uses.


A joint-enrolled applicant needs to submit the following items to be considered for admission to the University:

All immunization documentation must be recorded and submitted on a UWG Certificate of Immunization Form prior to registration

 
Application deadlines

UWG Application Deadlines.

A joint-enrolled applicant must meet the following admission criteria:

Seniors
SAT Critical Reading score of 530
SAT Math score of 530
OR
ACT English score of 23
ACT Math score of 22
AND
GPA in college prep courses of 3.0 or higher


Juniors
SAT Critical Reading score of 580
SAT Math score of 530
OR
ACT English score of 25
ACT Math score of 22
AND
GPA in college prep courses of 3.5 or higher