At a time when tuition costs are increasing around the nation, Troy University is offering a tuition cut for some students.

In the past, tuition that high school students pay as part of the ACCELERATE dual enrollment program was the regular undergraduate online tuition. This year, however, the tuition for dually-enrolled students has been cut in half.

“Any course taken through ACCELERATE will represent substantial savings for the student and their family over the course of a college degree,” said Angela Sullivan who coordinates the program.

Sullivan said the university hopes the tuition decrease will make attaining a college education more reachable for families.

ACCELERATE offers high school sophomores, juniors and seniors the opportunity to earn both college and high school credit while still in high school. Students who enroll in the program and continue through their senior year will graduate high school as college sophomores.

Term 1 for online courses at Troy begins Aug. 13 and the application deadline is Aug. 3. To qualify for admission, students must have a minimum high school GPA of 3.0, a 20 ACT score or a 950 SAT score. If students cannot meet those requirements, they can still be admitted with a recommendation letter from their high school counselor.

ACCELERATE was originally developed in 2009 as a way to reach students in private and home schools in Alabama. Because of the program’s success, ACCELERATE is now available to any student. Students from Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Mississippi, Ohio, Texas, Tennessee and Virginia have participated in the experience.

“Students who are interested in jump-starting their college careers are generally those students who score better on standardized tests and make better grades in class,” Sullivan said, noting that the average college student who participated in ACCELERATE has an average ACT score of 23 and a 3.34 GPA.