FRISCO, TEXAS — As counselors start organizing schedules for the upcoming school year, many students are scrambling to select and register for their courses. Frisco Independent School District (FISD) offers various options for students to test out different subjects and potential career paths. One popular option is dual credit, specifically the University of North Texas (UNT) pre-college program, UNT Now! 

UNT Now! is a two-year dual credit program exclusive to juniors and seniors, located at the UNT Frisco campus. Participants in the program will complete a variety of courses centered around English, history, and science. 

In college, each major requires students to obtain a certain amount of credit hours to graduate. By the end of the experience, dual credit students will have amassed 42 semester credit hours of Texas Core Curriculum. These credits can be applied to all public higher education institutions in Texas, meaning students get a head start on obtaining a bachelor’s degree.

Dual Credit at UNT provides many other benefits to its students. Paying regular UNT tuition for a school semester is six times the cost of a school semester with UNT Now! with the program giving students a unique learning experience that is much more project-based and involves critical thinking. They have the opportunity to work collaboratively with fellow students from across the district and experience a snapshot of the college lifestyle. 

Senior Ashlynn Whitney shared, “I’ve met so many people and commun[icated so much] with others, and it’s definitely going to put me forward in college by letting me graduate a year early.”

The deadline to apply to the program is Feb. 21 and students will be notified of their acceptance in the following weeks. The program will officially begin next school year on Aug. 18. UNT Now! is a special program that pushes students to aim and achieve big goals while in high school; it is one hundred percent worth looking into if you’re a student looking to get ahead.