High school students have until Dec. 15 to apply; eligible students receive full-tuition scholarships
Applications are currently being accepted for Estrella Mountain Community College’s (EMCC) ACE and HOOP of Learning programs. Both programs provide eligible high school students the opportunity to earn college credits tuition-free.
The ACE, or Achieving an Education, program is for high school students who meet certain criteria such as being a first-generation college student, coming from a single-parent home, or experiencing economic hardship. High school sophomores who are accepted into the ACE program can earn up to 24 college credits during their junior and senior years in high school.
“I wish I had known about the ACE program in my sophomore year of high school,” said Jennifer Armour, who graduated from EMCC in 2011 and now serves as the college’s Student Services Analyst - ACE Program and Hoop of Learning Program. “I would have definitely applied.”
ACE students participate in an orientation and a series of ongoing activities and events such as financial aid workshops designed to keep them informed and connected throughout the two years. They take classes during the regular summer sessions and on Saturdays during the fall and spring semesters.
“ACE students take courses with other ACE students, so they are with high school students who will understand them and share an experience like them that their other friends may not,” Armour said.
The Hoop of Learning program is for Native American high school students who have a 2.0 or higher GPA, show good attendance, and are enrolled members of federal- or state-recognized tribes (or in the process of obtaining a census number). Hoop of Learning students earn college credits during their freshman to senior years in high school. Hoop of Learning students also attend an orientation and participate in activities to enhance growth.
Both ACE and Hoop of Learning students receive specialized advisement during their time at EMCC.
“Both programs allow high school students to get ahead in their educational journeys while receiving support throughout the college process,” Armour said. “Our ACE and Hoop of Learning students feel more confident in their skills and themselves as college students once they enter the college environment on their own.”
The deadline to apply for both programs is Dec. 15. Students can apply to the ACE program by visiting https://www.estrellamountain.edu/students/ace. Students can apply to the Hoop of Learning program at https://www.estrellamountain.edu/students/hoops.