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Academic Competitiveness Grant
An
Academic Competitiveness Grant will provide up to $750 for the first year of
undergraduate study and up to $1,300 for the second year of undergraduate
study to full-time students who are U.S. citizens eligible for a Federal
Pell Grant, and who had successfully completed a
rigorous high school program,
as determined by the state or local education agency and recognized by the
Secretary of Education. Second year students must also have maintained a
cumulative grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.0. The program will be
available for the first time for the 2006-07 school year for first year
students who graduated from high school after January 1, 2006 and for second
year students who graduated from high school after January 1, 2005. The
Academic Competitiveness Grant award is in addition to the student's
Pell Grant award.
INITIAL
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
If
you can answer YES to all of the following questions, you may
potentially be eligible to receive an Academic Competitiveness Grant.
1.
Are you a U.S. citizen?
2.
Did you graduate from high school after January 1, 2005?
3.
Are you eligible to receive a Pell Grant?
4.
Will you be enrolled as a full-time first or second year student in a
two-year or four-year degree program OR a transfer program that will lead
towards a four-year degree?
HOW TO APPLY:
If
you believe you may be eligible for the ACG, please complete the
ACG Validation Form
and submit it to your high school for certification.
RIGOROUS COURSE OF STUDY REQUIREMENT FOR ACG
Recent
high school graduates may be eligible for an ACG
grant up to
$750 for their first year of college and $1300 for their
second year. The student must have
completed an eligible rigorous course of study.
The
high school must validate whether the student meets one of the following
options for eligibility for the 2006-07 school year for a student from
California:
-
The California Golden
State Seal Merit Diploma
-
A set of courses
similar to the State Scholars Initiative.
This program of study requires passing grades in all of the following:
-
Four years of
English;
-
Three years of Math
(including Algebra I and a higher level course such as Algebra II,
Geometry, or Data Analysis and Statistics);
-
Three years of
science (including at least two courses from biology, chemistry or
physics);
-
Three years of
social studies; and
-
One year of a
foreign language.
-
Advanced Placement
(AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) courses and test scores.
This
program requires a minimum of two Advanced Placement (AP) or International
Baccalaureate (IB) courses in high school and a minimum passing score on
the exams for those classes. Students must score 3 or higher on AP exams
and 4 or higher on IB exams.
-
California A-G
Requirements.
This program is available to students who complete the normal course
requirements for the A-G requirements for admission to the UC or CSU; or
for students who complete a modified version of the A-G requirements for
admission to the UC and CSU, in which a year-long career technical
education course that meets or exceeds the rigorous academic content
standards approved by the State Board of Education, may substitute for one
of the courses that counts toward completion of the “G” requirement:
A.
History/Social Science: 2 years required. Two years of history/social
science selected from world history, cultures and geography; U.S. history;
or, a combination of U.S. History, American government/civics, and economics
equal to one year; and
B.
English: 4 years required. Four years of college-preparatory English that
includes frequent and regular writing, and reading of classic and modern
literature. No more than one year of ESL-type courses can be used to meet
this requirement; and
C.
Mathematics: 3 years required. Three years of college-preparatory
mathematics that includes the topics covered in elementary and advanced
algebra and two- and three-dimensional geometry. Approved integrated math
courses may be used to fulfill par or all of this requirement; and
D.
Laboratory Science: 2 years required. Two years of laboratory science
chosen from biology, chemistry, physics, or physical science. Advanced
laboratory science classes that have biology, chemistry or physics as
prerequisites and offer substantial additional material may be used to
fulfill this requirement. Two years of an approved integrated science
program may be used to fulfill this requirement; and
E.
Language other than English: 2 years required. Two years of the same
language other than English. Courses should emphasize speaking and
understanding, and include instruction in grammar, vocabulary, reading,
composition and culture; and
F.
Visual
and Performing Arts: 1 year required. A single yearlong approved arts
course from a single VPA discipline: dance, drama/theater, music or visual
art. Courses used to fulfill this requirement must satisfy the five State
standards for artistic perception, creative expression, historical and
cultural context, aesthetic valuing, and connections, relations and
application; and
G.
College
Preparatory Electives: 1 year required. One year, in addition to those
required in “A-F” above, chosen from the following areas: visual and
performing arts (non-introductory level courses), history, social science,
English, advanced mathematics, laboratory science and language other than
English (a third year in the language used for the “E” requirement or two
years of another language). |
