Smart Start
Smart Start concurrent enrollment is a unique opportunity for you to earn high school credit while also obtaining college credit hours. Courses taken through Smart Start are offered for the same level credit as those offered on the UAFS campus. In turn we ask our concurrent you to meet the same expectations we set for our degree-seeking students. These courses require you to think, interact, and learn at a higher level than you would in a regular high school class. They will be more challenging and in-depth, requiring more time and work.
FAQs
The Smart Start concurrent enrollment program was created for local students to earn early college credit. This partnership of UAFS and local school districts providing opportunities for our high school students is growing annually. Through the program the university offers general education courses as provided by the Arkansas Course Transfer System, such as Composition I and II, U.S. History I and II, College Algebra, plane trigonometry, speech, psychology, and other general education courses. These courses differ from Advanced Placement (AP) coursework in that students are enrolled and participating in a college course taught by university faculty and, regardless of exam scores, students earn the grade given at the end of the semester. Most Smart Start courses are the traditional semester in length rather than the full academic year. Most courses are offered online, though some locations offer courses onsite taught by UAFS faculty traveling to the high school. Course options vary at each location.
Throughout the program students gain the knowledge of performing at the university level and gain confidence to advance in their collegiate experience. Students in the program can begin college with 18 or more hours and potentially complete college ahead of schedule.
The program is open to juniors and seniors at participating high schools. Students entering the program must have college-level placement with an ACT 19 or an equivalent placement score. Students must also maintain a 2.0 GPA throughout the program.
Smart Start is currently offered at these high schools.
- Southside High School
- Northside High School
- Union Christian
- Future School
- Greenwood High School
- Hackett High School
- Lavaca High School
- Charleston High School
- Grace Academy
- Booneville High School
- Prairie Grove High School
- Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences, and the Arts