Minimum Student Qualifications and Important Links

Prospective students apply to the ECP during their sophomore or junior year in high school and attend for their junior and/or senior year.

• Cumulative GPA of 2.75 or higher  
• 90% Cumulative Attendance
• Meet Early College - Placement Test (Accuplacer) Sign Up, College Readiness, and MACC Course Placement Standards
• Complete the MACC Dual Credit Application (AFTER COMPLETING THE MACC DUAL CREDIT APPLICATION, YOU WILL RECEIVE IN THE MAIL AN ACCEPTANCE LETTER FROM MACC THAT IS SENT TO ALL STUDENTS WHO APPLY TO MACC (NOT JUST EARLY COLLEGE). THIS LETTER DOES NOT DESIGNATE ACCEPTANCE INTO THE EARLY COLLEGE PROGRAM) 
• Complete the CPS Early College Program Application
• Information Session dates (via Zoom) can be found by visiting the Early College Information Session Links page.
• A list of common MACC courses taken by students and how they transfer to their CPS high school can be found here.
• Private school and home school students must live in the CPS attendance area and register with the high school in their attendance area by the application due date to participate in the program.

Deadlines:

• Students must complete the ACT and/or ACCUPLACER Test, complete applications, and submit scores to Jacob Biener, CPS Advanced Studies Coordinator, jbiener@cpsk12.org by March 11, 2024. 
• Application submission does not guarantee acceptance into the program. Students who are accepted will be notified in the Spring of 2024 by Jacob Biener and then begin selection of MACC Fall 2024 courses in April. 

Thank you for your interest in the Columbia Public Schools Early College Program. 

Students applying and qualifying for the Early College Program will enroll in a minimum of 12 college credit hours each semester taught by a MACC professor, typically a morning or afternoon session. Courses will count as both high school and college credit. Students can make substantial progress or complete an Associates degree by high school graduation. 

Resources and Responsibilities

• Students will have access to MACC student resources, including tutoring, the library, computer labs, and student clubs and campus activities.
• CPS will provide transportation to and from the MACC-Columbia Campus and their home high school.
• Students will follow the MACC-Columbia Campus academic calendar during all sessions and are required to be on time and in attendance for all classes.
• Students will monitor MACC course grades in Canvas throughout the semester. Official grades will be entered for CPS at the end of each semester. 
• CPS will pay tuition, books, and fees for college classes each semester. Students are required to maintain a C or better in all classes. If a student gets a grade of D or F, the student may be responsible for repaying the district the full cost of the course, including fees, and may lose eligibility for the ECP. 
• Students may participate in extracurricular and co-curricular activities at their high school, provided they meet all MSHSAA Sports and Activities eligibility requirements.

Early College Program FAQ's

Core 42 Information and Transfer 

For additional information or questions, contact:
Jacob Biener
Advanced Studies Coordinator
Columbia Public Schools                                                       

jbiener@cpsk12.org