This summer, UCCS is offering an online academic fitness class completely free to all Colorado high schoolers. The four-week class, part of the CU Succeed Online program, consists of four self-paced modules and live office hours with the instructors.
The class is being offered for the second year in a row after the initial course filled up completely last summer.
The course, which runs from July 11 – August 5, will teach concepts like time management, help students develop the life skills they’ll need in college, and give them a sneak peek into what college assignments are like. It will also build on existing practical skills that apply to students’ personal success in high school and other areas of life.
“Last year, the UCCS Academic Fitness class got me excited and prepared for future college-level classes,” student Kate Bennett said.
Students who complete the course will receive one college credit.
“We started offering this class to help prepare high school students because we were hearing that there was a need for more students to be prepared for the expectations of college-level classes,” said Karen Bisset, Assistant Director of High School Programs. “More and more students are taking college classes in high school and are seeing the value of earning college credit early in their academic careers. We believe this class is an important piece to provide to those students.”
The online course is designed to be accessible for any high school student and is particularly advantageous to those in rural districts who may not have access to local college-level courses.
“We’ve gotten very positive feedback from students, parents, teachers and districts,” Bisset said. “The students learn a lot and it’s a valuable experience for them.”
Bisset said this year, the university has taken steps to give students an even more supportive and meaningful environment in which to take the course.
“The students are being supported not only by the faculty member but also a mentor. This summer, students will be able to interact with a Success Mentor, a UCCS Counseling and Human Services graduate student whose main role is to work with online high school students to make sure they are understanding class expectations, completing coursework and encouraging them throughout the entire experience,” Bisset explained.
The deadline to register is July 6. There is limited space in the course, so students are encouraged to sign up early. Students can get more information and sign up by visiting https://outreach.uccs.edu/hs/online and scrolling to the “Academic Fitness” dropdown towards the bottom of the page.