UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND PARTNERSHIP
Students have the opportunity to graduate from high school with up to 60 college credits
To best prepare College Park Academy students for success at top colleges and universities, CPA partners with University of Maryland to provide students with the opportunity to graduate from high school with up to 60 college credits while thriving in a school environment that adapts to their needs and maximizes their personal academic performance.
Experience College Now
Through this partnership, CPA draws upon the rigor, value, and standards of academic excellence present at UMD. Our students’ curriculum, projects, and course selection are designed in collaboration with CPA staff and UMD’s College of Education.
This collaborative mental effort provides students with one of the best college-preparatory education opportunities in the state. UMD provides CPA with curriculum elements including college courses and programming from advanced education research labs.
Students enrolled in UMD Programs experience college education in these courses composed of themed coursework and independent study. In 2019/2020, UMD Signature Programs options include business, computer science, education, journalism, law and justice, math/engineering/architecture, and public health/wellness. This wide array of options allows for more freedom than the traditional high school experience.
Students choose which fields of study they are interested in and receive an educational experience similar to college majors.
Experiencing this style of focused education at an earlier age than most allows for CPA students to be more knowledgeable and prepared when they choose their majors in college.
CPA also provides UMD-supported after-school programs including Robotics, Piano, Chemistry Tutoring, Journalism, Mindfulness, Cosmetology Club, Artistic Box Art Club, Creative Writing, International Culture Club, Glee Club, Dance, Swimming, DUNK Basketball, Sisters in STEM, and many more.
With our after-school programs, learning doesn’t conclude at the end of the school day. Students have time and resources to continue developing their hobbies and interests beyond core subjects. College Park Academy seeks to allow students to gather a well-rounded education that emphasizes their unique interests.
Aside from experiencing college courses, CPA’s partnership with UMD benefits the students’ social opportunities and networking. Students learn from leaders and researchers in their field, forming connections with UMD faculty that provides potential support for those who subsequently enroll as UMD students in following years.
Partnership with UMD also provides CPA students the chance to collaborate with UMD students. CPA hosts visits to UMD where students work directly with university students. For example, we have held a tour at the School of Journalism where CPA students toured the campus and participated in a Q & A session inside the broadcast journalism studio to learn about broadcasting and reporting.
UMD also invited students to tour the Clarice Smith Performing Arts center and participate in improv, hip hop dance, and lighting and set design workshops with UMD students. More examples include a Fire Protection Engineering Design Challenge where students created a structure and fire suppression system with provided resources, and an Animal and Avian Sciences tour where students learned about career opportunities for animal science majors.
The potential for connections and conversations between CPA students and UMD faculty and students provides a possibility for inspiration, support, and additional confidence to these students pursuing a future at University of Maryland.
