START Scholar Academy has 75 spots for our first-time freshman students who are first-generation (parents did not earn a bachelor’s degree), enrolled in University College, and entering college with a high school GPA of 3.0 or less. START Academy prepares students to successfully transition to college through educational support, tutoring, and faculty mentoring throughout their first year of college.
If you are a first-time freshman student who is the first in your family to attend college, you can apply for START Scholar Academy by completing the application below and committing to the START scholar requirements by checking the boxes in the application. Priority is given to students from underrepresented student groups. To be accepted into the START Scholar Program, you must do the following:
- Attend Trailblazer Connections Pre-semester (August 16th, 17th, and 18th)*
- Submit ACT or SAT scores or take the Placement Assessments for math and English*
START Scholars can earn scholarships during the first year of college up to $1000 per semester; a total of $2,000 can be earned based on semester GPA.