Sacramento State has a solution for high school students who want to get a jump on their college careers.
The Accelerated College Entrance Center, or ACE, allows students—mainly juniors and seniors—to take college courses and earn college credits that can be transferred to degree programs at Sacramento State or other universities.
And the cost to the student is only $5 per semester.
“People always want to know what the ‘catch’ is, and I tell them there isn’t one,” says Professor Bruce Ostertag, faculty director of the ACE program. “It’s an incredible deal for everyone; the students, their parents, participating high schools, and Sac State departments and their respective Colleges.”
Established in 1985, the program reached its highest-ever student enrollment this semester with 2,067 students participating in courses such as astronomy, engineering, music, photography, computer science, English, history, and even Arabic language.
Students have a choice of taking courses at their high school or at the University. “Most students choose the off-campus option, because it’s convenient for them and they don’t have to travel to the University campus,” says Ostertag. A total of 27 high schools have partnership agreements with Sacramento State academic departments. The high school teachers work closely with University professors on curriculum development. “It’s a good collaboration,” says Ostertag.
On-site ACE students attend courses on the campus, typically outside of their regular school hours, and receive the same privileges as regular University students, including use of computer labs, Internet access through Saclink, full library access and student rates for admission to campus events.
“It’s important to know that we supplement, not supplant, their high school education,” says Ostertag. “We’re not replacing the courses the high schools offer the students—rather, we’re giving them a chance to study subject matter that otherwise would not be available to them.”
In order to participate in the ACE Program, students must have a GPA of 3.0 or higher, have a score of 550 in either the math or critical reading section of the SAT (or a combined score of 1100 for these two areas), have parental and high school administrator permission, and be interviewed and recommended by the ACE director.
“Even if the student doesn’t end up attending Sacramento State, it’s extremely gratifying to know that the University had a hand in preparing that student for college,” says Ostertag.
