What are University of Texas OnRamps Courses?
UT OnRamps courses are dual-enrollment courses. This means that a student has the opportunity to earn both high school and college credit by taking a college level course. OnRamps courses are taught by Akins' teachers who have been trained by a UT professor in specific course curriculum. Classes are held on the Akins campus. Students learn the same rigorous content that is being taught by the UT professor. OnRamps college credit is part of the Texas Core Curriculum, and is accepted at all public colleges and universities in Texas, and beyond. For more information, please read the one-page information sheet shared in the links below, and visit the UT OnRamps website at: https://onramps.utexas.edu/students/
How is OnRamps different than ACC Dual Credit?
1. Students do not need to show college readiness through the TSI, SAT, or ACT to take OnRamps courses.
2. Unlike dual credit courses, OnRamps courses award two separate grades: a weighted high school grade given by the Akins teacher and which is recorded on the high school transcript, and a college grade awarded by the UT professor, which is recorded on a UT college transcript (see #3).
3. Students in OnRamps have the opportunity to decline the college credit if they receive a grade for which they are not satisfied, and that grade will never show on a college transcript or have to be reported when applying to college after high school. Students will have experienced a college level course with college expectations and deadlines, and will still earn weighted high school credit even if they decline the college credit. It's a win-win for the student!
Which OnRamps courses does Akins offer?
1. Rhetoric and Research (fall) and Rhetoric and Composition (spring) (6 total college credit hours) (also gives high school English 3 credit)
2. Discovery Pre-Calculus (3 college credit hours) (also gives high school Pre-Calculus credit)
3. Statistics (3 college credit hours) (also gives high school 4th year math credit)
4. Introduction to Geoscience (3 college credit hours) (also gives high school 4th year science credit)
5. Computer Science (3 college credit hours) (also gives high school computer science elective credit)
6. U.S. History I (fall) and II (spring) (6 total college credit hours) (also gives high school U.S. History credit)
7. Physics I (3 college credit hours) (also gives high school physics credit)
8. College Chemistry (4 college credit hours) (also gives high school 4th year science credit)
9. College Algebra (3 college credit hours) (also gives high school Algebra II credit)
10. Foundations of Arts & Entertainment Technology (3 college credit hours) (also gives high school technology elective credit)
How does a student enroll in an OnRamps course?
Students have the option of choosing OnRamps courses, contingent on any pre-requisites, when they meet with their Academy Counselor each winter/spring to choose courses for the next year. Students work with their OnRamps teacher at the beginning, or prior to the beginning of the school year, to self-register for the OnRamps college portion of the course, and to complete the required orientation. Students served under Special Education or 504 also self-apply for any academic accommodations they are requesting.
UT OnRamps Parent Information Video