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ASCENT

College too expensive? Save money with ASCENT!

ASCENT is a program where students finish high school, but stay enrolled as a WPS student. During this additional year, students attend either the Front Range Community College, Community College of Denver, Red Rocks Community College, Emily Griffith Technical College, or Metro State University of Denver and WPS will pay for the student’s tuition. To be eligible for the program, students must have 9 college credits and be college-ready by the time they graduate high school.

ASCENT stands for Accelerating Students through Concurrent Enrollment. In May of 2009, the Colorado State Legislature passed HB09-1319 and SB09-285. This bill created the ASCENT program. Students who have completed at least 9 college credit hours (as represented on a college transcript) prior to completion of the 12th year of high school, may be eligible. The State provides funding to support college enrollment by these students. Funding comes from the State of Colorado and the amount provided to the district for use by our students is subject to change annually. WPS will disseminate the amount of funding we receive to our eligible and qualified students.  That amount will be based on the amount provided to us by the State of Colorado and the number of ASCENT eligible students that year. Deadlines and other conditions apply. Please see the Future Center for information regarding eligibility.

How much money can I save?

Example 1: A student enrolls in ASCENT and takes classes at Front Range Community College:

  • To be eligible for the program, students must have 9 college credits already earned. These college credits stay with the student.
  • The average student will take 15 college credits in the Fall, and 15 college credits in the Spring.
    • Each credit at FRCC currently costs $136.90. $136.90 x 30 = $4,107.00.
  • The student will need to pay any additional fees and for the books, as required. For a year, we estimate this cost as $500.
  • At the end of the year, the student can transfer these credits, as well as the credits they already earned to the college of their choice. If this student chooses to enroll at University of Colorado at Boulder and study business, these 42 credits will transfer. The 42 credits worth of credits and the Business program cost approximately $18,240.00.
  • After accounting for the $500 investment, total potential savings = $17,740.00

Example 2: A student enrolls in ASCENT and takes classes at Emily Griffith in Welding:

  • The welding program at EGTC is a year-long program and consists of 88 credit hours.
  • Each credit hour in the EGTC welding program is $156.00. $156.00 = $13,728.00.
  • The student will need to pay any additional fees or books required by the program. This is estimated at $2,112.00 by EGTC.
  • After accounting for the $2,112.00 investment, total savings = $11,616.00

Interested in ASCENT?

Contact the Future Center today for more information at 303.657.3929 or email futurecenter@westminsterpublicschools.org.