Introduction
Over twenty years ago, the Georgia legislature founded a special Academy for a select number of elite scholars – students with a proven track record of academic excellence, community service, and social responsibility. Students who are creative, motivated, analytical, engaged, and aware of the world around them. Students like you.
The Georgia Academy of Arts, Mathematics, Engineering and Science is a residential component of the Dual Enrollment (previously Move On When Ready) program for top-performing high school juniors and seniors. (A sophomore may be considered based on curriculum and maturity.) Established in fall 1997, The Georgia Academy allows students who meet the strenuous admission requirements to obtain high school and university credit simultaneously while enrolled full-time in university courses. In the past two decades, The Georgia Academy at Middle Georgia State University has provided the opportunity for hundreds of diligent, focused, and committed students to discover and pursue their greatness in a setting dedicated to learning.
Some of our Academy students have gone on to complete their higher education with us at Middle Georgia State University. Some have left us to complete degrees at other top universities across the nation. Regardless of their ultimate academic achievements, Georgia Academy graduates have benefited greatly from the wealth of experiences and the strong academic foundation they gained while studying with us.
Whatever your interests, The Georgia Academy is dedicated to helping you pursue your academic dreams in a special place where you will be exposed to a diversity of ideas, learn from the University’s top-flight faculty, and sit in classes not only with fellow Academy students, but also with members of the Middle Georgia State student body.
The Georgia Academy is not an easy path. Expectations for our students are high, and these expectations will have to be met against a backdrop of greater independence. Most Academy students face the highest standards they’ve ever encountered while learning to be self-sufficient in time management, socialization, and community service. This level of academic rigor is not something all students are ready for at this stage of their lives. Of course, we recognize that our Academy students are a unique population, and our staff and advisors are focused on helping guide you towards academic success, and providing you with the support needed to achieve this success in a university setting. Our students are encouraged to participate in the collegiate lifestyle and to interact with their collegiate peers, with boundaries in place appropriate to our students’ age and position.
Enrollment
In most cases, students will enter The Georgia Academy at the beginning of their junior or senior year of high school. In rare cases, a younger student exhibiting remarkable abilities may be considered for admission. Through the awarding of dual-enrollment credit, it is possible for students enrolling at the beginning of their junior year to receive an associate degree from Middle Georgia State University and a high school diploma (awarded by the student’s high school) simultaneously. Academy students are encouraged to continue their enrollment at MGA to work towards a baccalaureate degree.
Submit a request for information by visiting the GA Academy website at http://www.mga.edu/georgia-academy/ or by contacting The Academy at (478) 934-3471 or via e-mail at academy@mga.edu
Admissions Requirements
Minimum requirements for admission to The Georgia Academy are as follows:
- A high school cumulative grade-point average of a 3.5 on a 4.0 scale in academic core classes;
- SAT taken before March 2016:
- A composite Critical Reading and Math score of 1100* with minimum scores of 560* on the Math section and 530* on the Critical Reading section.
- SAT taken after March 2016:
- Minimum score of 580 in Math and a minimum score of 29 in Critical Reading.
- OR
- A composite score of 24* on the ACT with a minimum score of 24* on the Math section and a minimum score of 23* on the English section.
- Submission of:
- Three recommendations; two must be completed by high school teachers, and one by the student’s high school counselor
- An essay
- A high school disciplinary record
- Completion of on-campus interviews with the student and at least one parent or guardian.
- Meeting minimum requirements does not guarantee admission to The Georgia Academy.
Majors and Degree Programs
During their enrollment at the Georgia Academy, students will earn an Associates degree, an Associates of Science Core Curriculum or an Associates of Arts Core Curriculum. Students who continue with MGA are required to declare a major for a Bachelors Degree in consultation with their advisor.
Residential Life and Regulations
Academy students are required to live on campus and are housed in Anderson Hall. University officials and the Academy staff provides supervision for the Academy students. A full-time residence director lives in the residence hall in addition to the residence assistant who lives on each dedicated floor. Housing applications are supplied in the student’s acceptance package.
As is appropriate for the age of the Academy students, residential life rules and regulations are more stringent than those applied to other Middle Georgia State University students. Prospective Academy students should read the Georgia Academy of Arts, Mathematics, Engineering, and Science student handbook and the Middle Georgia State University student handbook and carefully review all requirements, regulations, and disciplinary procedures. Academy student handbook regulations take precedence over similar general student handbook regulations.
Costs for housing and the meal plan must be paid by the first day of each semester or other arrangements must be made with the Bursar's office.
Academic Policies
Academy students overall are subject to the academic policies which apply to all Middle Georgia State University students. Policies particular to Academy students are listed below.
An Academy student will be placed on an academic recovery plan if the semester GPA falls below a 3.25 on a 4.0 scale. If a student's GPA falls below a 3.0 for any single semester, the student will be dismissed from the Georgia Academy. Students may elect to continue to take Dual Enrollment courses through the University as a commuter student with the permission of their high school counselor. HOPE Scholarship eligibility requires a minimum GPA of 3.0 in addition to a 1200 SAT score and three identified rigorous courses (AP, IB, or Dual Enrollment).
An Academy student, in most cases, will simultaneously work toward a high school diploma and an Associates Degree. Students have the primary responsibility of communicating and coordinating with the high school counselor and the Dual Enrollment Coordinator to ensure they are making progress toward their high school diploma. The Dual Enrollment Coordinator and the Academy Academic Advisor will assist the student and the high school counselor to ensure adequate progress is being made towards completion of the high school diploma. A list of suggested high school-Middle Georgia State University course equivalencies will be provided to students and high school counselors and is also on file with the State Board of Education.
First year Georgia Academy students are encouraged to take the PSAT examination in October of their first semester at Middle Georgia State University because it is the instrument used to identify National Merit Scholarship candidates. Academy students should take the SAT and/or ACT no later than fall semester of their second year to meet application deadlines for their transfer institution.
Fees and Financial Assistance
Students in the Academy, the residential component of the Dual Enrollment (previously Move On When Ready) Program, are qualified to receive tuition, any mandatory fees, and textbook funding for approved college courses. Funding is administered by the Georgia Student Finance Commission. Additional information about the program may be found at https://www.gafutures.org or http://www.mga.edu/admissions/high-school-students.aspx. Academy students are also encouraged to apply for institutional scholarships. Some course specific fees (lab fees, homework supplements, housing application fee, and health fee) are NOT covered by Dual Enrollment funding. An estimate of these fees are provided to students and their families at the time of acceptance.
Failure to complete the steps to apply for the Dual Enrollment funding may result in students being required to pay for their tuition, fees and books. Students will be required to pay the costs for tuition and books for courses they take which are not approved for funding provided by the Georgia Student Finance Commission.
Costs for housing including residential hall and the meal plan must be paid by the first day of each semester, or other arrangements must be made with the Bursar's office. Students will be dismissed from the Academy if their payments are not completed or arrangements made through the Bursar's office by the first day of the next semester.