Frequently Asked Questions

No. Elon Academy is not a high school. It is a summer and Saturday program that supplements the services students receive in their high schools.

Yes. Students complete high school at their own schools. They attend the Academy for a month during each summer and once a month on Saturdays during the academic year.

No. Our goal is for students to find the best college match for their particular interests and values. Some students come to Elon, but we take scholars on many college visits to experience a variety of options.

No. Only students who meet the criteria for admission to Elon may be accepted at Elon.

No. We help scholars find scholarships, but we do not provide scholarship money.

The Academy is an academic program, not a summer camp. However, there are lots of engaging activities in the evenings and weekends for students to enjoy when they are not in class.

Not necessarily. The Academy is for any student who demonstrates academic promise and is willing to work hard to pursue a college education.

The Academy is for Alamance County students and students attending high school in the Alamance-Burlington School System (ABSS).

Yes. Home-schooled students are welcome to apply if they live in Alamance County.

No. We only take students as part of a cohort in 9th grade.

We do not ask about citizenship status, however, it is important that any students who are international/undocumented know that federal and state funding is not available to them so they will need exceptionally high grades to earn merit-based scholarships.

Yes.

No. About 1/3rd of our students are African-American, 1/3rd Hispanic, and 1/3rd White. We also have bi-racial students, Native American students, and Asian students.

It is competitive, but we are looking for a wide variety of students and you never know if you will be selected. One thing for sure, if you don’t apply then it is guaranteed that you won’t get in.

We have very high expectations of our scholars. Our primary expectations are that each scholar use their resources, use feedback for self-improvement, be proactive, maintain regular communication with staff, prioritize attendance at all Elon Academy events, and look for growth opportunities. To remain in the program students must consistently demonstrate academic, social, and emotional growth.

To remain in the Elon Academy, scholars must be present for the entire summer program. No other plans can be made during this time.

The Elon Academy is offered at no cost to scholars and families. However, it costs almost $500,000 per year to operate the Elon Academy program. Although the Elon Academy was launched by Elon University, the program is not funded through tuition dollars. The sustainability of the Academy is dependent on the generosity of individuals, businesses, foundations, and organizations.

The program is very expensive. It costs approximately $22,000 to support each scholar to and through college. We have to stay within our budget. If we could raise more funds we could increase the number of students.

100% of Scholars who complete the high school portion of the Elon Academy program are accepted into college.

The Elon Academy does NOT provide college financial support.  However, in the 2019 high school graduating Elon Academy class, almost 50% of students had all college expenses covered.

Yes, scholars have all the same opportunities in college as other students. For example, 25% of sophomore and junior college scholars have participated in a Study Abroad program.

Please see Fast Facts.