| New
Century Scholarships: Getting a head start on higher
education pays off
By Shannon Ballard
May 7, 2009 | The Utah Legislature is awarding high
school students with in-state scholarships for showing
academic success by earning associate's degrees while
still in high school.
Cassidy Hall graduated high school just one year ago
and has just finished her junior year of college at
Utah State University.
Hall, 18, started taking concurrent enrollment classes
from Utah Valley University during her sophomore year
of high school and took a full college schedule of classes
from distance education her junior and senior years.
Participation in concurrent enrollment and distance
education programs allows students to get both high
school and college credit.
"I am grateful that I decided to become involved with
the New Century Scholarship program. I feel accomplished
to know that I graduated college with my associate's
degree before I even graduated from high school," said
Hall.
The New Century Scholarship Program was created by
the 1999 Utah Legislature to provide scholarship opportunities
to Utah students who complete a rigorous academic curriculum
during high school.
To be eligible for the program, students must be a
legal Utah resident and complete the requirements of
an associate's degree or the approved math and science
curriculum at a Utah System of Higher Education institution
with at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA by Sept. 1 of the
year their class graduates from a Utah high school.
The New Century Scholarship is attracting more and
more teens every year.
"In the program's first year only 14 students, from
all over Utah, graduated with their associate's degrees.
This year over 25 students from Pleasant Grove High
School alone are receiving the New Century Scholarship,"
said Joan Penrod, Utah Valley University education networks
facilitator.
A scholarship that pays 75 percent of tuition is awarded
to all those who qualify for the New Century Program.
The funding can be used at Utah institutions such as
Dixie State College of Utah, Southern Utah University,
University of Utah, Utah State University, Utah Valley
University, Weber State University, Brigham Young University,
and Westminster College.
The New Century Scholarship will fund a student for
their next 60 credit hours or until the requirements
for a bachelor's degree has been met.
"The best part about the New Century Scholarship is
that it can be used along with other scholarships,"
said Stephanie Scott, Junior at Brigham Young University.
She says that because she is also on an academic scholarship
she is actually getting paid to go to school.
New Century Scholarships are available to anyone who
meets the requirements, whether they are home schooled
or attend a public school. There are even charter schools,
such as Utah County Academy of Sciences, that concentrate
specifically on helping students obtain associate's
degrees while they earn their high school diplomas.
Utah's New Century Scholarship program is continuing
to allow high school students to get a jump start on
their future, as well as assisting the students in paying
for their higher education.
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