General Information and Frequently Asked Questions

Eligibility and Application Process
Come Visit Us
Location
Costs
Reasons to Enroll

Questions Students Ask

1. May I receive the National Merit Scholarship?
2. Am I still eligible for the HOPE Scholarship?
3. Do I have to give up extracurricular activities such as band and debate?
4. May I play sports for the University?
5. What are my options for a major?
6. How much harder are academics at the Academy?
7. What kinds of educational opportunities are available to Academy graduates?

Questions Parents Ask

1. What about safety?
2. What is the Academy's drug and alcohol policy?
3. Can my student bring a car to campus?

Eligibility and Application Process

When Do I Apply:

*To be eligible for a limited number of university-wide scholarships, including Presidential Scholarships, students must apply by the Early Application Deadline. Scholarships exclusive to the Academy are awarded after the July 9th deadline. Both early applicants and regular applicants are eligible for these Academy-only scholarships. Please see our scholarship section for further information about scholarships.

Eligibility Criteria:
The Academy primarily accepts rising 11th and 12th grade students and will occasionally accept younger, high ability students. Please contact us for more information regarding younger, high ability students.

All Students must meet or exceed our minimum eligibility requirements to be considered for admission. (Note: International students who wish to apply to The Academy please also see International Applicants section below.)

1150 composite minimum SAT* 580 verbal; 530 math, or 25 composite minimum ACT 25 English; 22 math 3.5 GPA (as computed by Academy formula which includes academic courses only) On track for the College Preparatory Curriculum The Academy encourages students to consider both the SAT and ACT exams. The ease and/or difficulty of each exam varies based on each individuals test taking skills and learning styles. Scores can vary significantly across both exams; therefore, students are encouraged to take each exam to attain their optimum score. *Students should only use the critical reading and math sections to calculate their composite SAT score. The Advanced Academy will consider the essay score as part of its admission decision in a holistic manner, as a component of the total picture of each applicant.

*Students who need an SAT score should schedule a national date or call our offices regarding an institutional exam.

SAT Prep Plan is one of several test prep options on the web. The Advanced Academy does not recommend any service; however, we encourage you to use whatever study aids are available to you. The state of Georgia has purchased access for all Georgia high school students to the Official SAT Prep Course. Please check with your guidance counselor for details.

Application Process:
The application consists of multiple sections to be completed by the student, parent, high school counselor or principal, teacher recommendations, and a $30 application fee. All sections, along with official score reports, are to be submitted to the Advanced Academy office at the same time.

If you would like to download an application packet please click here. You may also email Anneliesa Finch (afinch@westga.edu) or see the Contact Us section for more information.

Interviews:
The final step in the application process is a personal interview with the applicant and his/her parent(s). Please note that only students who submit a completed application and who meet our minimum criteria will be contacted regarding a personal interview, which is required before any admissions decision is made.

Visitation

We encourage you to visit the West Georgia campus as a campus visit is very helpful to both you and us in the decision making process. We need a chance to meet with you, just as you need an opportunity to check us out. Simply call us to arrange an appointment. Do you wish a meeting with a department head, professor, or a resident advisor? Let us know, and we'll arrange it for you!

University Scheduled Preview Days:
The University schedules Preview Days three times each year during which prospective students are invited to spend a Sunday afternoon at West Georgia. Students, faculty, The Advanced Academy, Honors College, and University of West Georgia administration invite you to:

• Tour Gunn Hall, the Academy residence hall,
• Tour our campus,
• Explore our academic and extracurricular programs, and
• Obtain information about admissions, financial aid/scholarships, residence life and the Honors College
  

Check-in for Preview Day activities is from 12:30-1:30PM. in the Technology-enhance Learning Center (TLC).

Preview Days have concluded for this year. Please consider a personal visit (Call: 678-839-6249).

For a map of campus, please click here. For directions to campus, click here.

Visiting The Academy
If you are unable to attend a Preview Day, the Academy also offers campus tours and an opportunity to meet with Academy staff and students Monday through Friday by appointment.

If you are interested in either a Preview Day or in scheduling an appointment to visit campus at another date, please contact:
Anneliesa Finch, Program Specialist
The Advanced Academy of Georgia
Honors House
University of West Georgia
Carrollton, GA 30118
Phone: 678-839-6249
Fax: 678-839-0636
E-Mail: afinch@westga.edu

International Applicants

International applicants to UWG/Academy must do the following:
1. Complete an Academy application, which may be downloaded.
2. Complete a UWG International Application
3. Submit a $30.00 US non-refundable application fee with your application.
4. Submit official SAT and TOEFL scores
5. Submit official secondary school records translated into English
6. Have a foreign credential evaluation of secondary education records. The Academy recommends Josef Silny & Associates, (305) 273-1616.
7. Complete a financial certificate, including all requested signatures (included in the UWG International Application)
8. Submit an official letter of deposit from each sponsor's bank stating a dollar amount of readily available deposits in U.S. currency (see UWG Application)
9. Submit a completed Certificate of Immunization (included in the UWG International Application)

Upon acceptance, a $60.00 international orientation fee will be required. All international students, enrolling for Fall 2006, must arrive on campus before classes begin in August to attend this orientation. International students must also purchase health insurance, which is included on students' bills after acceptance and registration in classes. The fee for this insurance is about $50.00 per month, payable in advance. For students interested in Fall 2008, the deadline for receipt of all these documents is June 1, 2008.

The Advanced Academy requires minimum required scores for the SAT and the TOEFL as follows: SAT CR 580, SAT M 530, and TOEFL 69-70 (To be eligible for an in-state tution waiver, students must have a minimum of 79-80)

Cost for Attending the Academy and Financial Aid

Cost: The fees for attending the university for one semester can be seen at The Office of the Controller.
Please note that the academic year is made up of two semesters. Note also that not all of those fees apply. Tuition, mandatory fees ($450), housing fee ($1,229), and meals ($1352) are the typical expenses. If you were to take a science class, the lab fee of $19 would be added to your bill.

Because we are a state supported university, international students and students who live out of the state of Georgia are assessed a higher fee for tuition. Please note the difference between in-state and out-of-state tuition ($1,280 versus $5,121). The university offers a limited number of out-of-state fee waivers to students from other states and countries; therefore, it is important not to wait until the last minute to apply.

International students must earn a minimum TOEFL score of 79-80 in order to qualify for a waiver:

Financial Aid:
1. ACCEL Program: The Accel Program is funded by the Georgia Lottery for Education and administered by the Georgia Student Finance Commission. It is designed to provide participating high school students with financial assistance toward the cost of postsecondary coursework. In order to be eligible for Accel funds, a student must be a Georgia resident and enrolled for college degree-level courses. Accel pays tuition and fees and a $150.00 book allowance. Students must obtain the Accel paperwork from their high school counselors and submit it to the Academy every semester.

2. Scholarships: The Advanced Academy and The University of West Georgia (UWG) are pleased to offer a limited number of both merit- and need-based scholarships to students. An explanation of the various scholarships and the application process follows:

1.  The University’s Presidential Scholarships
The most prestigious scholarship offered on campus, eight new and renewable Presidential Scholarships are awarded each year to incoming freshmen.  There is no separate application for these scholarships.  Potential students are identified by their admission data and then interviewed. To be competitive for this scholarship, students will have an SAT composite score (Critical Reading and Math only) of at least 1320 and a GPA very close to a 4.0.  A student who wishes to be considered for a Presidential Scholarship must apply to The Advanced Academy by the Early Application Deadline (February 15, 2008) in order to be considered for these scholarships.

2.  The University’s Foundation Scholarships
The Foundation Scholarship Program is a two-tiered competitive scholarship program for new students that will award $50,000 to incoming freshmen.  There will be 10 awards at the $2,000 level and 30 awards at the $1,000 level.  These awards are not to be combined with any additional institutional scholarships and are not renewable; however, they may be combined with the HOPE Scholarship.  Students will be required to write an essay during Scholarship Day (February 18, 2008) and to submit a resume detailing their leadership and extracurricular activities.  This resume should be submitted with their Academy application.  For more information, please see:  http://www.westga.edu/~admiss/index.php?id=scholarship_fdn.

3.  Advanced Academy Scholarships

The Advanced Academy is fortunate to have individuals and foundations that, convinced of the efficacy of the program and sharing our belief that this opportunity should be available to all eligible students regardless of income, have donated funds to be used as scholarships for Advanced Academy students. These scholarships are separate from any scholarships that may be offered or awarded by the University. To apply for one of these scholarships, complete this Scholarship Application and submit it with your application for admission.  Please note that students applying for an Advanced Academy scholarship must:

• Submit an Academy Scholarship application at the same time they submit their application for admission,
• Submit a copy of their parents’ 2007 Federal Tax Forms,
• Complete the FAFSA at the same time they submit their application, or as soon as is practical, and
• Submit the EFC (Expected Family Contribution) figure generated by their FAFSA application to the Academy director by July 1, 2008.

Need-based scholarships are awarded contingent upon receipt of the Federal Tax Forms and the FAFSA-generated EFC figure.  Delayed completion or submission of these items may result in the loss of a student’s eligibility for need-based financial aid.

We are especially grateful to the Watson-Brown Foundation, Inc. for their generous support of The Advanced Academy and our students through their scholarship donation. For more information about the Watson-Brown Foundation, please visit their website.

Location

The Advanced Academy of Georgia is located in Carrollton, Georgia on the campus of the University of West Georgia, a comprehensive university in the University System of Georgia located approximately 50 miles west of Atlanta. Pictures of the UWG campus are available here. For a map of the campus, visit this link. Academy students live in Gunn Hall, a residence hall situated amid the numerous oak and pine trees, gorgeous flowers, and lush green lawns for which West Georgia is known.

Reasons to Enroll

Academy students...

• have the opportunity to live and learn with other similarly motivated young people from diverse backgrounds;enroll in regularly scheduled university classes and receive the same credit as other university students;are challenged by a broad, general education curriculum taught by a diverse and highly trained faculty;have access to the Irvine S. Ingram Library, state of the art computer labs, and modern research laboratories designed to enhance the instructional programs in the liberal arts and math and sciences;are encouraged to develop leadership skills and intellectual abilities through specialized after-class programs and seminars;experience extra-curricular activities in the fine arts through involvement in and attendance at musical and dramatic productions in the Townsend Center for the Performing Arts;enjoy organized physical and social interaction through intramural and recreational activities;benefit from small-group living with trained and caring residence hall staff;participate in community service activities;attend programs designed to aid in their emotional, social, and intellectual development;
• Participate in organized academic enrichment activities such as Academic Bowl, The American Mathematics Exam, The American International Mathematics Exam, and the annual university-wide research award night.

Questions Students Ask

7. What kinds of educational opportunities are available to Academy graduates?
Students who have graduated from high school and completed the Academy program have earned admission into some of the country's finest institutions. For a complete list click here.

Questions Parents Ask

• Curfew - Sunday through Thursday students must be in Gunn Hall and on their respective sides of the building (male/female) at 11:00 p.m.. On Friday and Saturday this is extended until 12:00 midnight.Card Access - All residence halls on campus are locked 24 hours a day. The only access is with a valid UWG ID that is encoded so that it opens only the hall in which the student lives.Signing Out - Whenever an Academy student leaves campus, he/she must "sign out" in a book which records the date, time, and the destination. If there were an emergency, an Academy student could be located.Sign In Book - Some time before evening curfew, each Academy scholar must "sign in." After students sign in, they may not leave the building until 6:00 a.m. This ensures that at a quick glance the staff can determine if a student is in the building.
• Public Safety (Campus Police) - Public Safety is on duty 24 hours a day to deal with any emergency that may arise on campus. Having a fully trained police force on campus contributes to the safe and secure environment that is UWG. A student may request a public safety escort at any time.

For more information about Advanced Academy policies. Please review the Advanced Academy Handbook.

3. May my student bring a car to campus?
Yes, Academy students may bring a vehicle to campus.

This document is not an official representation of Academy Policies. Upon arrival at the Advanced Academy, students will be issued a handbook that contains all official rules and procedures.