Achieving A College Education Plus

ACE stands for Achieving a College Education. It is a scholarship based, college preparation program designed to expose high school students to the college environment, college course work, and teach them skills that will enable them to be successful in their college studies and personal life. The Plus stands for the many services, workshops and activities offered by the program in addition to the college classes.

Glendale Community College is committed to this program because it is helping students who might not have seriously considered the option of going to college (as full-time students) after high school. The program is showing students that college is attainable and that they can be successful in college. ACE Plus is a partnership effort involving GCC, local high schools, and State Universities.

Any sophomore from our target high schools may apply. (Target high schools are: Alhambra, Apollo, Dysart, Independence, Glendale, Maryvale, Peoria, and Trevor Browne.) An attempt is made to admit students from each of the quartiles of the academic grading scale so that students may be admitted based upon their potential to achieve success, regardless of their previous academic record. Selection is competitive, and only a limited number of scholarships will be offered to each school.

To apply to the program, you need to complete an ACE Plus application packet. The packet consists of the program application, Glendale Community College Student Information Form, two letters of recommendation, a written essay, and an unofficial high school transcript. The letters of recommendation must come from adults who are not related to the student. Teachers, counselors, coaches, and employers are individuals who have helped with letters of recommendation in the past.

The recruitment process for the ACE Plus program starts in the fall semester of every year. Each one of the participating schools is assigned a specific deadline for turning in the program applications. All notifications of acceptance will be sent out by April 1.

ACE Plus is a scholarship program. This means that, if you are selected to participate in the program, the ACE Plus Program will pay for your college tuition and fees. However, the student and his/her family will be responsible for purchasing the textbooks needed for the college courses, provide transportation to and from the Glendale Community College campus, and commitment to success.

If you are selected to participate in the ACE Plus program, you will attend college classes for five weeks during the summer (approximately the first week of June through the first week of July). Class times for the summer are 9:00 am-2:30 pm. During the Spring and Fall semesters, your college classes are held on Saturday mornings from 9:00 am - 11:45 am. Your ACE Plus scholarship ends upon your graduation from high school. At that point, your ACE Plus Program Advisor will help you decide where you might want to continue your college studies.

Once you have been accepted into the program, you will take an assessment test. This will help determine what classes will be most appropriate in terms of preparing you to be a successful college student. You will be working with a Program Advisor who will determine what classes you will take during the time you are attending both high school and college.

Credit hours from any 100 level college courses (or above), are transferable to any accredited college or university you may choose to attend. Below 100 level courses are considered college credit, but do not transfer. Course transferability depends on the college/university you will be transferring to and the major you choose to pursue.

Please visit the ACE Plus Staff page for contact information.