Early College Summer Academy

Early College Summer Academy (ECSA): Three weeks of academically robust programming for middle and high school students. The goal is to provide access to post-secondary educational and career opportunities for students who attend schools with a high percentage of students who are historically marginalized and underrepresented in higher education.

 

College & Career ReadinessThese are the sets of skills, knowledge and behaviors that middle and high school students need to develop before graduation. There are several tests to evaluate college readiness. 

• Accuplacer exam: assesses college readiness for introductory courses and helps to make reliable placement decisions. 
• Postsecondary Education Readiness Test (PERT): determines initial course placement at the college level and provides information on reading comprehension, writing and mathematics skill levels.
• Test of Adult Basic Education (TABE): assesses adult basic education. It is typically used for career technical programs and includes reading, language and math subtests.

The Florida Administrative Code's Demonstration of Readiness for College-Level Communication and Computation establishes the standard test scores used to determine whether a student is ready for college-level coursework. If a student does not meet the state-established standard score, this indicates that additional preparation may be necessary before entering college-level courses.

 

Dual Enrollment (DE)
An accelerated program that allows secondary students to take post-secondary coursework and simultaneously earn credit towards a high school diploma, a career certificate, an industry certification or an associate or baccalaureate degree at a Palm Beach State College or another public or private institution.

 

Early Admission
A form of dual enrollment allowing high school students to enroll full-time in college or career courses. As with all dual enrollment programs, students earn high school and college/career credits for completed courses.

Collegiate High School (CHS)
An accelerated program that allows high school seniors to take 12-18 credits of post-secondary coursework and simultaneously earn credit towards a high school diploma, career certificate, industry certification or an associate or baccalaureate degree at Palm Beach State College. Collegiate High Schools can be hosted on high school sites across the county or at one of PBSC’s five campuses.

Can I apply to be a participant in the Early College Summer Academy? 
If you are a 7th through 12th grade student in the specified middle and high schools listed above, you may apply by reaching out to your school guidance counselor. 

Are accessibility services and/or accommodations available?
Yes. Your school will provide these services.

 

How do I get to the location of the Early College Summer Academy? 
Your schools will provide school buses based on regular routes and scheduled times. Bus passes will also be available if needed. 

 

Who hosts the Early College Summer Academy? 

The Dr. Barbara Carey-Shuler Student Success Center at Palm Beach State College is your host. The program is funded by the Foundation for PBSC. Our partners include Dr. Barbara Carey-Shuler, the Related Together Foundation, NextEra and more. 

 

How does the Early College Summer Academy help me get into the Dual Enrollment program at PBSC?  
The early college summer academy prepares students to pass the examinations (Accuplacer and ACT) needed for entry into dual enrollment. 

 

How will Dual Enrollment benefit me? 
You will save time and money by reducing the number of courses and fees in college. You'll explore your interests and majors before enrolling in college. You will understand the expectations and challenges of college-level courses while improving your high school academic performance and graduation rates.

 

How will Early Admission benefit me?  
You can earn both high school and college/career credits for courses completed and, as such, could graduate with an associate degree when graduating from high school.

 

How many credits must a student take in early admission or collegiate high school? 
Early admission or collegiate high school students must enroll in at least 12 college credit hours per semester.

 

Who is eligible to take dual enrollment courses? 
Students must meet the following eligibility criteria per Section 1007.271(3), F.S.:

• Be enrolled as a student in a Florida public or nonpublic secondary school (grades 6-12) or in a home education program;  
• Have a 3.0 unweighted high school grade point average (GPA) to enroll in college credits or a 2.0 unweighted high school GPA to enroll in career dual enrollment courses.
• For college credits, achieve a minimum score on a common placement test pursuant to Rule 6A14.064, Florida Administrative Code (F.A.C.); 
• Meet any additional eligibility criteria specified by the postsecondary institution in the Dual Enrollment Articulation Agreement.   

 

Are prospective college credit dual enrollment students required to take a common placement test such as the Postsecondary Education Readiness Test (PERT) or Accuplacer? 
Yes. Students must demonstrate readiness for college credit postsecondary instruction in Mathematics or English, pursuant to s. 1008.30(6), F.S., by meeting or exceeding the college-ready score(s) established in Rule 6A-10.0315, F.A.C. Public high school students shall have opportunities to test at the high school as described in the Dual Enrollment Articulate Agreement.  

 

I cannot afford college, but I want to attend. How do I pay for it? 
Tuition for all early college opportunities (dual enrollment, early admission, collegiate high school), are offered at no cost to families. After graduating from high school, scholarships such as the Stephen Ross Emerging Scholars, Finish4Free, and 2+2 are available if you are eligible. View scholarship information

1. At the summer academy, you will learn about how to apply to early college opportunities. You will be invited to apply to programs for Fall 2025.  

2. When you graduate from high school, you'll be eligible to apply for PBSC's Stephen M. Ross Emerging Scholars Scholarship. Preference is given to students who reside in the historical Northwest, Coleman Park and Pleasant City neighborhoods. 

Read more about the scholarship & get criteria