About
About
Overview
The Advance College Academy for Business Administration at Highland Springs High School is designed to prepare students for an accelerated academic experience. Qualified students can begin their future at Highland Springs High School by entering the exciting world of the Advance College Academy for Business Administration. The ACA for Business Administration at HSHS is for students interested in:
- Preparing for the rigors of college-level coursework.
- Developing dynamic study skills.
- Fostering academic confidence.
- Defining postsecondary academic and career goals.
- A degree and/or career in business administration.
Students who apply to a four-year college or university may enter taking junior-level classes, depending on the college or university. One of the primary goals of the Advance College Academy is to prepare students for this level of coursework.
The Advance College Academy for Business Administration at Highland Springs High School provides a host of benefits:
- The opportunity to transfer 61 credits to colleges and universities.
- Students graduate with an advanced high school diploma that consists of 33 credits.
- A strong foundation in communication, critical thinking, analysis, research and global studies,
- Introduction to business concepts.
- A foundation in accounting and economics.
- A career counselor to help students determine a career path and additional postsecondary education options.
- A college liaison and learning communities to help them with the transition from high school to college.
- Highly qualified Reynolds adjunct faculty members to instruct students in the program.
- A rigorous curriculum that prepares students to continue their education.
- A competitive advantage entering college.
While at Highland Springs High School, ACA students are encouraged to maintain a place on the honor roll, participate in extracurricular activities, maintain a 3.0 GPA and apply for acceptance to the National Honor Society.
Business Administration
With the rapid development of business and industry in Virginia, there is great demand for qualified employees in business administration to provide leadership for this economic growth. The Associate of Science degree with a major in Business Administration is designed for students who plan to transfer to a four-year college or university to complete a baccalaureate degree program in business administration.
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Honors and AP courses are weighted according to HCPS guidelines. Students who want to transfer their Reynolds credits to a four-year college or university must have a minimum 3.0 GPA. Therefore students in the Advance College Academy need to maintain a 3.0 GPA throughout the program. A student who falls below a cumulative 3.0 GPA in any semester will be reviewed and may be removed from the program.
Your ACA program director, school counselor and JSRCC career coach will periodically review your progress and create a personal plan based on your top three universities or colleges.
Discipline issues are not characteristic of Advance College Academy students and may be grounds for dismissal from the program.
Advance College Academy students will earn 33 high school credits and 61 college credits, concurrently.
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- Free Tutoring
For any Reynolds classes you are involved in during your junior and senior years, students will have access to Reynolds tutoring services. By requesting a tutor students can engage in free one-on-one or small-group tutoring for support in their Reynolds courses. Through Reynolds Math Central, students can also receive free walk-in tutoring with no appointment, or can schedule an appointment for tutoring. This is a great benefit that helps negate the costs of tutoring and also allows the student to gain tutoring from someone who has already taken their course.
- Library Access
Advance College Academy students have access to the Reynolds campus libraries, which provide many other benefits. In the library, students may use Reynolds computers when HCPS computers are not available, or over summer breaks. They may also use Reynolds printing services when they don't have access to school services. Reynolds libraries also provide a quiet place to study as well as study rooms that can be reserved for studying alone or in a group. Students can also check out college-level books and e-books from the libraries if they are not available through their high school or public libraries.
- Database Access
Reynolds libraries also provide access to library databases of journals, scholarly articles and many other academic publications. This resource will be especially beneficial during students' junior and senior years when doing research projects and papers. The library also provides resources on its website and in person for guidance on conducting and citeing research, preparing ACA students for college and beyond.
- Free Planners
Students will be given free planners from Reynolds their junior and senior years to provide them with tools to effectively manage their time. These planners have monthly calendars, along with space for daily planning. The planners also include important Reynolds dates such as marking periods and semester end dates.
- Student Discounts
Students receive an official Reynolds email account and Reynolds student ID for their junior and senior years. The rules and guidelines of the discounts may vary, but using these resources students may qualify for college student rewards or discounts. Among the many business providing discounts are Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, Spotify, ASOS, J. Crew, Barnes and Noble, Goodwill, Subway, Chick-fil-A and Jiffy Lube.
- Other Reynolds Courses
Because Advance College Academy students are also enrolled as Reynolds students, they’re eligible to enroll in other Reynolds classes. Classes during HCPS school hours are not eligible for enrollment, so classes must be in the evenings or during the summer. To enroll, students must have taken any prerequisite classes required for the course. Tthe cost of these additional courses is not included in the Advance College Academy tuition and families must pay the full cost of these classes. However, extra Reynolds courses still serve as an opportunity for students to expand their learning in areas of interest, gain more credits to transfer to college and take courses not provided at their school.
- Honor Societies
As Reynolds students, Advance College Academy students are eligible to be inducted into Reynolds honor societies. Many ACA students have been invited to join Phi Theta Kappa, the Reynolds honor society. This enables students to be recognized for their scholarship and leadership. Honor societies can also be impressive accolades to include on resumes and college applications. Students are eligible for scholarships through the honor society.
- Student Life
Reynolds has many student life opportunities, and Advance College Academy students are welcome to participate. Throughout the year Reynolds holds an array of events, club meetings, field trips and service projects. Students in the program are welcome to take advantage of these opportunities as long as it doesn’t conflict with school hours or other school obligations. These activities provide students with opportunities to be involved beyond their high school and explore further interests.