To Students and Parents Considering AA and/or BA College Track Options for Students in 9th-12th Grades,

From the Middle Ages until roughly 100 years ago, when most courses were much more academically rigorous than they are today, the average university student matriculated university at age 14 and received their BA degree by age 18. Historically considered, that is the norm. For the last 8 years many of our Angelicum students have earned their AA degrees by completion of 12th grade. In collaboration with accredited Catholic colleges, we are able to offer a BA degree by completion of 12th grade, including our renowned 4-year Great Books program, online, for students serious about accomplishing that goal. Of course, students may also begin years older, and take longer, if they wish. There is no upper age limit

The US educational system made a colossal error in adding four years to the length of time students must spend in formal education to receive their college degrees. The result has been neither better nor more in-depth education, to the contrary. The vast resources needed to sustain 13 years of primary and secondary education and four more years of tertiary education for a BA degree (17 years in all) resulted in thinly spreading limited resources and essential course content. It also protracted student adolescence and the assumption of serious responsibility in our society to age 22, holding back the natural emotional and intellectual maturation process four years beyond what is necessary or psychologically healthy.

In recent years this problem has been acknowledged by high schools adding more college materials piecemeal into their thin curricula in various ways such as AP courses, dual and concurrent high school and college courses, IB, CLEP, Early College programs, ACE Credit, Dantes and so on. All of which essentially replace meagre high school curricula with college-content courses. In other words, high school curricula are gradually turning into college curricula. The error of adding four years to achieve a BA degree is gradually being reversed.

Following the prescient advice of Dr. Mortimer Adler and Philosopher Jacques Maritain, inter alia, both of whom worked for decades to initiate this reform, Angelicum Academy from its inception 25 years ago offered a four-year Great Books Program to students in 9th grade (and up). Because it has essentially the same content (the classics) as Great Books programs offered in college Great Books programs, 9th-12th grade students may earn substantial college credit for it – up to 48 credits. These students are intellectually formed by the Great Books and the Socratic discussions our expert tutors guide, in the years they might otherwise be ill-formed in modern secular high schools. We also added four theology courses by Fr. Joseph Fessio, Th.D., for Juniors and Seniors, making 12 more college credits available for our students – a total of 60 college credits (2 years of college), with the balance needed for an AA and/or BA degree taken online by Angelicum Juniors and Seniors from our partner colleges, or later in residence on their campus.

Because our program is conducted online, and in fewer years, the savings in tuition, fees, room and board is huge – a cost comparison chart may be viewed HERE. Our website has much more on this and other important educational subjects HERE.

Welcome to the Angelicum Academy college credit programs.

Patrick S.J. Carmack, JD
Director
Angelicum Academy