Admissions and the Application Process
Accreditation
Graduation
Tuition and Financial Aid
Admissions and the Application Process
Q: How are students evaluated for admission to the EPGY OHS?
A: Participation in the EPGY OHS represents a substantial commitment on the part of students and their families. In order to be confident that those who are admitted can meet the demands of the curriculum and unique style of learning we place on them, the EPGY OHS has a stringent application procedure. In the evaluation of applicants, the EPGY OHS Admissions Committee considers:
- student academic records
- samples of student work, including application essays
- standardized exam scores
- participation in gifted programs, academic competitions, extracurricular activities, etc. that demonstrate exceptional ability
- evidence of success in online courses
- letters of recommendation
- a student interview (if applicable)
Q: How do I apply?
A: There are two steps in the application process for admission to the EPGY OHS: 1. Submit the Applicant Information Form. This form asks for basic information and generates an EPGY OHS Application Number. 2. Once you have received your EPGY OHS Application Number, download, and submit the full EPGY OHS Application. The Applicant Information Form, the Application, and instructions are found here.
Applications will be evaluated as described on the admissions page starting in January. During the application review, the EPGY OHS Director of Admissions may contact promising students and their parents to arrange for an interview. Students may also be asked to submit additional supporting materials.
Q: Is there a different application for single course applicants?
A: Students can apply for a single course in one of two ways. They can submit a full application in either the early, regular or late admission cycles, or they can apply using a separate Single Course Application starting in June. Students who are accepted in the early or regular admission cycles will be able to submit scheduling preferences prior to course scheduling.
Q: In which admissions cycle should I apply?
A: There are several advantages to applying for the early or regular admission cycles. First, there are financial aid considerations (detailed in a question below). Second, students who commit to attend our school before June will be able to submit their scheduling preferences for consideration when we create the course schedule. Third, students who apply after the May deadline are not guaranteed a space in our Summer Residential Program in August.
Q: How will I be notified after my application has been reviewed?
A: Once a decision has been made, students and parents will be contacted by email. Please see our admissions website for the posted notification deadlines. In general, students and parents will be notified within four weeks of an application deadline if their application is complete by the deadline.
Q: How old should students be when they apply to the EPGY OHS?
A: There is no fixed age requirement for applying to the EPGY OHS. A student’s intellectual capacity and maturity are more significant than their actual age.
Q: Must EPGY OHS students live in California? Does the EPGY OHS accept students from overseas?
A: Since the EPGY OHS is an independent (private) high school, students do not need to live in California. The EPGY OHS welcomes students from throughout the United States and from around the world.
Q: I have previously been admitted to EPGY for a different program. Does this mean that I am automatically admitted to the EPGY OHS?
A: No. Admission to the EPGY OHS is a separate process from admission to EPGY’s other programs.
Q: Can I transfer to the EPGY OHS mid-year (i.e. starting at the second semester)?
A: We strongly encourage students to apply for admission at the start of an academic year. Due to the nature of the EPGY OHS, it is difficult for students to enter mid-year and succeed in their courses. Families wishing to apply for mid-year enrollment should contact Jared Boyce, Student Services Officer, at 800-372-3749 x422 for details.
Q: Do I need to leave my local school if I want to take courses from the EPGY OHS? Can I take half my courses at my local school and half at the EPGY OHS? Do students need to be enrolled full time at the EPGY OHS?
A: Students at the EPGY OHS do not need to be enrolled full time. Many students pursue joint enrollment options where some of their course of study is done at their local school and the rest is done at the EPGY OHS. EPGY OHS students may also register for less than full time if they are taking approved courses at other postsecondary institutions. (Note: Incoming seniors must enroll in at least five EPGY OHS classes if they wish to earn a diploma.)
Q: I would like to have some students at my school take courses from the EPGY OHS. Is this possible? Does the EPGY OHS have a school affiliates program?
A: Yes. It is possible to have students from your school take courses from the EPGY OHS. If interested, a school official should contact the EPGY OHS Headmaster.
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Accreditation
Q: Is the EPGY OHS accredited?
A: Yes. The EPGY OHS is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.
Q: Are the EPGY OHS courses accepted by the University of California?
A: Yes. The EPGY OHS has been approved as an online course provider for the University of California.
Q: Can EPGY OHS students satisfy the University of California “a-g” course requirements?
A: The EPGY OHS has been approved as a University of California online provider, which means our courses will satisfy the U.C. “a-g” course requirements.
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Graduation
Q: What are the EPGY OHS graduation requirements?
A: Basic requirements include four years of English, four years of math, three years of natural science, three years of social science, two years of foreign language, and four years of additional academic course work. Beginning in the 9th grade, students will take an EPGY OHS Core Course each year they are enrolled. These courses stress critical reading of important texts, extensive writing assignments, and inclusion of philosophy as it relates to each course topic. The Core Courses are: The Methodology of Science – Biology; History of Science: Great Ideas and Observations/Experiments; Democracy, Freedom, and the Rule of Law; and Critical Reading and Argumentation. All EPGY OHS graduates will have completed successfully at least one AP course in each of the broad areas of humanities, social science, and natural science. Other graduation requirements include two years of physical education and one semester of health. Students entering the school as seniors must complete a minimum of five EPGY OHS classes to earn an EPGY OHS diploma, juniors must complete a minimum of eight classes, and entering sophomores a minimum of eleven courses. For more detail, please refer to our Academic Program.
Q: Can I transfer courses completed elsewhere to the EPGY OHS? How are transfers of credit evaluated? How do I determine if a course I take somewhere else will count at the EPGY OHS?
A: Incoming students can apply to receive credit for coursework they completed before enrolling at the EPGY OHS. The EPGY OHS maintains its own list of approved courses and evaluates requests to transfer incoming credit on a case-by-case basis. Enrolled EPGY OHS students who would like to take courses at other institutions for EPGY OHS credit must get prior approval. When reviewing academic plans with students, EPGY OHS academic advisors discuss external options and how they might fit in to the student’s individual program.
Q: How do I transfer courses taken at the EPGY OHS back to my local school?
A: The EPGY OHS provides students with a transcript for the work they complete at the EPGY OHS. The EPGY OHS registrar’s office helps students coordinate the transferring of credit from the EPGY OHS to their local schools.
Q: Is there an age requirement for graduation from the EPGY OHS?
A: While students are allowed to graduate from the EPGY OHS upon completion of all graduation requirements, we encourage students who are sixteen or younger to remain in high school for an additional year. The advanced EPGY OHS curriculum offers many university-level courses to challenge students intellectually until such time as they are socially and emotionally prepared to enter college.
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Tuition and Financial Aid
Q: What is tuition for attending EPGY OHS?
A: Tuition information can be found here.
Q: Is financial aid available?
A: The EPGY OHS is committed to ensuring that students who are admitted to our school are able to attend. Toward this end, EPGY OHS is continually working to develop a robust financial aid program. Some need-based financial aid will be available for the 2010-11 academic year for students with difficult or unusual financial circumstances. The school will send instructions detailing the financial aid application process to the families of admitted students who request the information. Families who plan to seek financial aid are strongly encouraged to apply in the Early and Regular admissions cycles with application deadlines in January and March, as they will be given priority by the Financial Aid Committee in determining awards.
Q: How can I donate to the EPGY OHS?
A: We encourage those who wish to support students in attending the EPGY OHS to contact the Headmaster for more information.
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