The University of Alabama Early College program allows high school students to take college courses from UA while still in high school, some of which even count towards the student's high school curriculum. This provides several benefits to students who participate such as making the transition into undergraduate studies easier, giving students more scheduling flexibility once they get to college like participating in education abroad programs and allowing students to graduate earlier or add additional majors or minors without extending their time in college.
Who is Eligible?
Students are eligible to start Early College after completing their ninth grade year with a cumulative high school grade point average of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale (or an equivalent cumulative average).
How Does the Program Work?
First Class
After students are admitted to UA Early College, they begin their college studies with the UAEC 200 College Readiness Course. This course is offered FREE of charge to all students and counts as two college credit hours. Students and parents participate in the first class meeting of UAEC 200 – either on campus, online or at a facility in your local area. Then, they'll complete the remainder of UAEC 200 online during the 5-6 weeks following their orientation session.
Academic Advising
After students successfully pass the UAEC 200 College Readiness Course, they'll meet with their Early College Academic Advisor to discuss what University of Alabama academic courses best fit their goals and will register for their next classes.
When Should I Apply?
UA Early College accepts students year-round and have eight different start dates for UAEC 200 throughout the year, giving students as much flexibility as possible in starting their college journey. We encourage students to apply a few weeks before they would like to start their UAEC 200 course.
What Sets UA Early College Apart?
While there are several good options for dual enrollment, students from across the country choose The University of Alabama Early College because of our unrivaled student success system. At UA, Early College students have dedicated academic advisors, student success coaches and peer mentors. Our student success coaches work with faculty to track student progress and if a student begins to struggle in a course, the student success coach will meet with the student and help them plan a path to improve and successfully complete the course. This program has led to an impressive overall program GPA of 3.7.
This system not only leads to stronger grades for our students but it also sets the student up to be more successful in courses throughout their college career.