Advanced Academy of Georgia
Encyclopedia
The Advanced Academy of Georgia is a residential
early college entrance program
at the University of West Georgia
in Carrollton, Georgia
. It was established by Dr. Beheruz Sethna
in the 1995–1996 academic year.
, minimum SAT
and ACT
scores, and that its applicants be on the College Preparatory track. The program traditionally accepts students during their high school junior and high school senior years, though younger students considered to be exceptionally gifted have been accepted in the past.
While enrolled, students are free to pursue whatever discipline they want, provided they meet the credit requirements for graduation at their high-school. This often means that in-state students must take two classes to fulfill each required high-school credit, as the Georgia State Board of Education regards 3 credit hours as being worth .6 Carnegie Units. However, most students are able to not only meet these requirements, but often earn additional credit hours, if not graduate from high-school a year earlier than their peers.
, Gunn Hall is now dedicated solely for housing Academy students and support staff.
Since the students are housed together, they often form strong relationships during their time in the program. The administration of the program encourages this sense of community, providing activities such as Thursday Night Dinner, at which guests come and speak to the students of the Academy on a variety of subjects, and regular events in Gunn Hall and around the campus specifically for the Academy students.
Several events for Academy students have become yearly traditions. Among these are "Formal" (a prom
), a collaborative poetry and music performance called "Coffee House", and "The Decathlon". The last of these is a very significant event for many current and former Academy students, in which the second and third floors of Gunn Hall compete against each other in many different events, including sports, board games, a scavenger hunt
, and an engineering
contest, known as the "Challenge." The Decathlon tends to inspire a great deal of camaraderie among the residents of a floor, while creating drama and competition between the floors as a whole. The Decathlon always takes place on the weekend immediately preceding Martin Luther King, Jr. Day in January and serves as a time of reunion for former students and housing staff, who often come and stay in Gunn Hall for the weekend and participate alongside current students in the competitions.
Academy students are allowed to participate in any extracurricular clubs or activities on campus except for social fraternities and NCAA athletic teams. Current Advanced Academy students have, at various times, headed the school's robotics laboratory, intercollegiate mock trial team, Catholic Life Society, Asian Student Association, and the student GLBT support group, Lambda. Past students have gone on to take professional or leadership roles in the West Georgia community, including the roles of student newspaper editor, Housing and Residence Life staff, and Honors College staff.
Boarding school
A boarding school is a school where some or all pupils study and live during the school year with their fellow students and possibly teachers and/or administrators. The word 'boarding' is used in the sense of "bed and board," i.e., lodging and meals...
early college entrance program
Early college entrance program
Early college entrance programs, sometimes called early admission or early enrollment programs are educational programs that allow high school students to be accelerated into college, together with other such students, one or more years before the traditional age of college entrance, and without...
at the University of West Georgia
University of West Georgia
The University of West Georgia is a comprehensive doctoral-granting university in Carrollton, Georgia, approximately 45 miles west of Atlanta, Georgia. The University is built on 645 acres including a recent land gift of 246 acres from the city of Carrollton in 2003...
in Carrollton, Georgia
Carrollton, Georgia
Carrollton is a city in West Georgia, United States, in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 24,388...
. It was established by Dr. Beheruz Sethna
Beheruz Sethna
Dr. Beheruz N. Sethna is in his 17th year as Professor of Business at the University of West Georgia and President of the University.During his tenure, the University of West Georgia has acquired university status, achieved designation as a member of the robust tier of doctoral comprehensive...
in the 1995–1996 academic year.
Academics
The Advanced Academy does not focus on a specific discipline, and therefore requires a minimum GPAAcademic grading in North America
Academic grading in North America varies from country to country and even within countries.-United States:The most commonly used index in the U.S. educational system uses five letter grades. Historically, the grades were A, B, C, D, and F—A being the highest and F, denoting failure, the lowest...
, minimum SAT
SAT
The SAT Reasoning Test is a standardized test for college admissions in the United States. The SAT is owned, published, and developed by the College Board, a nonprofit organization in the United States. It was formerly developed, published, and scored by the Educational Testing Service which still...
and ACT
ACT (examination)
The ACT is a standardized test for high school achievement and college admissions in the United States produced by ACT, Inc. It was first administered in November 1959 by Everett Franklin Lindquist as a competitor to the College Board's Scholastic Aptitude Test, now the SAT Reasoning Test...
scores, and that its applicants be on the College Preparatory track. The program traditionally accepts students during their high school junior and high school senior years, though younger students considered to be exceptionally gifted have been accepted in the past.
While enrolled, students are free to pursue whatever discipline they want, provided they meet the credit requirements for graduation at their high-school. This often means that in-state students must take two classes to fulfill each required high-school credit, as the Georgia State Board of Education regards 3 credit hours as being worth .6 Carnegie Units. However, most students are able to not only meet these requirements, but often earn additional credit hours, if not graduate from high-school a year earlier than their peers.
Student life
Students are housed in Gunn Hall, a dorm on the south-eastern corner of campus. Previously housing both young Academy students and typical college-aged honors studentsDean's List
A Dean's List is a category of students in a college or university who achieve high grades during their stay in an academic term or academic year. In secondary schools, or high schools, the term Consistent Honor List or Honor Roll is more common, but Dean's List and Consistent Honor List are...
, Gunn Hall is now dedicated solely for housing Academy students and support staff.
Since the students are housed together, they often form strong relationships during their time in the program. The administration of the program encourages this sense of community, providing activities such as Thursday Night Dinner, at which guests come and speak to the students of the Academy on a variety of subjects, and regular events in Gunn Hall and around the campus specifically for the Academy students.
Several events for Academy students have become yearly traditions. Among these are "Formal" (a prom
Prom
In the United States and Canada, a prom, short for promenade, is a formal dance, or gathering of high school students. It is typically held near the end of the senior year. It figures greatly in popular culture and is a major event among high school students...
), a collaborative poetry and music performance called "Coffee House", and "The Decathlon". The last of these is a very significant event for many current and former Academy students, in which the second and third floors of Gunn Hall compete against each other in many different events, including sports, board games, a scavenger hunt
Scavenger hunt
A scavenger hunt is a game in which the organizers prepare a list defining specific items, using which the participants — individuals or teams — seek to gather all items on the list — usually without purchasing them — or perform tasks or take photographs of the items, as specified...
, and an engineering
Engineering
Engineering is the discipline, art, skill and profession of acquiring and applying scientific, mathematical, economic, social, and practical knowledge, in order to design and build structures, machines, devices, systems, materials and processes that safely realize improvements to the lives of...
contest, known as the "Challenge." The Decathlon tends to inspire a great deal of camaraderie among the residents of a floor, while creating drama and competition between the floors as a whole. The Decathlon always takes place on the weekend immediately preceding Martin Luther King, Jr. Day in January and serves as a time of reunion for former students and housing staff, who often come and stay in Gunn Hall for the weekend and participate alongside current students in the competitions.
Academy students are allowed to participate in any extracurricular clubs or activities on campus except for social fraternities and NCAA athletic teams. Current Advanced Academy students have, at various times, headed the school's robotics laboratory, intercollegiate mock trial team, Catholic Life Society, Asian Student Association, and the student GLBT support group, Lambda. Past students have gone on to take professional or leadership roles in the West Georgia community, including the roles of student newspaper editor, Housing and Residence Life staff, and Honors College staff.
Notable alumni
- Ajay Pillai '08 - The youngest person to ever graduate from a University System of GeorgiaUniversity System of GeorgiaThe University System of Georgia is the organizational body that includes 35 public institutions of higher learning in the U.S. state of Georgia. The System is governed by the Georgia Board of Regents. It sets goals and dictates general policy to educational institutions as well as administering...
institution with a 4-year degree. Pillai came to the Academy at the age of 13, graduated with an honors degree in biochemistry at the age of 17, and went on to attend the Medical College of GeorgiaMedical College of GeorgiaGeorgia Health Sciences University formerly known as, and now home of the, Medical College of Georgia , is a public academic health center, with its main campus located in the Medical District of Augusta, Georgia. It is the smallest of four research universities in the University System of Georgia...
the following semester. - Nkosi Thandiwe '07 - Attended the Advanced Academy of Georgia from 2005-2007. Arrested and charged with one count of murder and two counts of aggravated assault for the shooting which left Atlanta resident Brittany Watts dead and two others wounded.
- Jeremy Pham '07 - Graduated from the Advanced Academy of Georgia in 2007. Went on to attend Dartmouth College. Was the subject of outrage on many internet blogs after an apparent misogynistic rant claiming all Wellesley students were "a bunch of whores" and that he would "plant a dagger in your ass."