Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s) about [email protected]

1. Who can apply to [email protected]? 
   The two-year program is designed for high school students in grades 11 and 12 who attend high school in Manassas City, Manassas Park City, or Prince William County School Divisions. Students having an interest and talent in the STEM fields would apply during their sophomore year (grade 10).
   
   
2. Do students have to attend both years (grades 11 and 12) to be a part of the program?
   Each of our participating school divisions decides which students are selected to fill the number of seats available to their division at [email protected], but in general students who apply during their 10^th grade year with commitment to the two-year program are given priority.
   
   
3. Are there any associated costs to families of students who participate in [email protected] beyond what would be expected from a traditional face-to-face high school course? 
   There does not have to be any additional costs to our participating families beyond the costs of classroom supplies, although families do have the option to purchase [email protected] courses for dual enrollment credit in which the student would receive college credit in addition to high school credit for a select course.
   
   
4. Where are [email protected] classes held, and at what times do [email protected] classes meet?
   [email protected] classes are held weekday mornings during the regular academic school year (following PWCS calendar) from 7:30 — 11:15 a.m., and meet at the George Mason University Science & Technology Campus in Manassas.
   
   
5. Is transportation provided from participating school division high schools to [email protected] and back to high schools for afternoon classes? 
   Yes, students are bused to/from [email protected] from all high schools in participating school divisions. Note that parents would be responsible for transporting the students to the high school closest to the student’s home in the morning, since neighborhood pick-up would not arrive at the local high school in time for the [email protected] bus pick-up.
   
   
6. Can students drive to Mason Campus rather than take the bus? 
   Yes, if permitted by participating school divisions. Note that students would need to purchase a parking pass to park on Mason’s Campus. Information on parking is found here.
   
   
7. Are all [email protected] courses weighted? 
   Yes, all [email protected] courses are semester courses that award 0.5 credits per course at the 5.0 scale towards GPA.
   
   
8. What can a student expect when taking [email protected] courses in comparison to base school courses?
   A student should expect to put more effort and time towards achieving academically-related goals than would be necessary in courses that are not college-level. In general, students should expect to put in the same level of preparation for each of our courses that would be required of them for an IB, AP®, or Cambridge course.