In high school, many students look to advance themselves academically, and one easy way to do that is to gain college credits.

The UNT NOW! Dual Credit program is a partnership between UNT Frisco and FISD that encompasses group project work to earn 42 semester hours by the time you graduate high school. This program takes 60 students from all of Frisco ISD, 30 students for a morning cohort and 30 for an afternoon cohort.

“So, I heard about the UNT program from a friend of mine. And it had like all the classes that transfer for like the Texas core curriculum,” senior Tabitha Baggett said. “And I thought that that would be really good because then instead of going to a community college and taking all of the 42 credits, I could just get it while I was in high school.”

The program allows students to be immersed into college classes and learn from PhD earning professors.

“Yes, I think it’s like taking actual college courses,” senior Will Woods said. “And our professors have said they don’t teach their classes any differently than they teach actual college students.”

Students enter the program as juniors, and continue to take classes with the same students throughout their senior year.

“The best part was probably meeting all the kids in the class because you actually go through the full four semesters with them, so you get to know them really well,” Woods said. “And you do all your projects with them. So you really get to know a good 20 students.”

To apply, students must have earned at least a 460 on their PSAT reading score and a 510 on their PSAT math score. If you meet these requirements, you will be placed into a lottery to be one of the 60 students based on which cohort you choose.

“I think the project based learning is especially really helpful, because I feel like people don’t really know how to do projects with people very well, like in high school, you don’t really do that,” Baggett said.”So I think this really prepared me to go into classes like for my major that I care more about. So I’ll be better prepared for that.”

The program involves the Texas Core Curriculum that college students take, so when you enter college, you will be able to take classes in your chosen major and electives.

“So, the advice I would give for incoming students would be to definitely start studying in the first semester. Don’t get caught off guard like I did,” Woods said. “I wasn’t studying for a semester and ended up struggling with the exams, so just do all your work.”

Incoming sophomores were presented with the opportunity to apply by January 31st, so freshmen should keep an eye on this program, and see if it’s what you’re looking for.

“Just be prepared for it because college classes can be a step up from high school classes,” Woods said.