FAQs

The cap of 500 ASCENT statewide slots has been removed through the 2022 Colorado legislative process. Any eligible student may participate in the ASCENT program if the student meets the eligibility requirements.

The number of postsecondary credit hours required to be eligible to participate in the ASCENT program is now 9 (reduced from 12).  Please note that these credits do not include IB, prior learning, or experiential courses, unless these exams/experiences have been converted to transcripted credits on a college transcript.

ASCENT will pay for student tuition at Colorado Mountain College ("CMC"), Colorado Mesa University ("CMU"), or CMU Tech.

Learning materials / books and technology fees will not be covered through ASCENT.

Room & board are not included as part of the agreement for CMC or CMU residential campuses.
Students are also responsible for paying for their transportation as an ASCENT student.

Your high school diploma will be issued once you complete ASCENT with the date corresponding the completion of ASCENT.  For instance, if you enter ASCENT in 2024 and complete ASCENT in the spring of 2025, your diploma will be dated 2025.  At the end of ASCENT, you will also be issued an official high school transcript once it is updated.

Yes, as one consideration, if you do poorly in a course, the final grade will appear on both your high school and college transcript and potentially impact scholarship opportunities if you have plans to transfer to a four-year university after your ASCENT year.

You would typically need to apply as a first-year applicant, but students should check with the college admissions offices of schools of interest to confirm.

Yes, especially if you are looking to transfer to another school after ASCENT, the admission offices will typically want to review both your high school and college grade point average as part of the application evaluation.

Students can take ASCENT courses at any of the eleven CMC or CMU campuses, in person (if available) or online.
ASCENT will not cover room and board expenses at any of the CMC or CMU residential campuses.

ASCENT students must take at least three credits per semester.
There is no limit to the number of credits a student can take, but students must first consult with CMC, CMU, and ECSD counselors regarding their course loads before registering for classes.
Students often underestimate the time they will need to keep up with their classes and assignments, especially If they plan to work while taking classes. 

For a 2024 ICAP (Individual Career & Academic Plan),  please consult your school counselor or Mr. Thompson for the materials needed from the Xello platform.
Your ICAP portfolio will be reviewed to determine what aspects of the ICAP need to be completed and uploaded to your ASCENT digital folder.
Other forms of ICAPs can be considered as a part of the review process.

After reviewing all of the content on the ECSD ASCENT web page, you and a parent or guardian can review and complete the ECSD ASCENT application (2024-2025 application).

Not necessarily. Some students may qualify for more financial aid through local or national scholarships or grants (e.g. a Pell Grant). 

Also, qualified students who have the following interests are not good candidates.

• Students who want to attend college out of state right after 12th grade or who are not interested in attending Colorado Mountain College (CMC).

• Students interested in a study or degree track not offered at CMC.

• Students that require federal financial aid to cover expenses not compatible with ASCENT funding.

• Students that want to play NCAA sports.

There is no selection process if a student is eligible. ECSD staff will review the eligibility requirements of ASCENT candidates and, if the student is eligible, coordinate with CMC and CMU personnel and any other scholarship providers to determine the best financial aid options for different applicants.

In some instances, a student may be eligible for ASCENT but have better financial aid options available.
Be sure to assess all of your financial aid options and ask for help if you need it.

No, but we ask that you keep Mr. Jim Thompson and/or your high school counselor apprised of your decisions for next year.
If you choose another option, letting us know that you will not be pursuing ASCENT would be courteous and respectful of the student tracking process. Eagle County School District will need an answer by the application deadline in May.

A student's GPA and class rank are finalized at the end of one's 12th grade year within the district, so grades during the ASCENT year will not impact one's high school GPA on one's high school transcript.
However, your ASCENT grades are added to your high school transcript and are factored into your CMC or CMU GPA. 

It depends. ASCENT students are not eligible for any federal student financial aid while an ASCENT student. After completing the ASCENT year, students can qualify for and apply for federal financial aid. 

In considering any other sources of financial aid including local scholarship providers, students must disclose that they are pursuing ASCENT and consult with both the scholarship provider and a counselor to verify one's eligibility for the additional financial aid.

If the student does not disclose the receipt of other financial aid while an ASCENT student, the student may lose ASCENT funding depending on the other source(s) of funding. The sources of student aid are reviewed internally at CMC and CMU as part of the financial evaluation of each student. 

Students can enroll in Guaranteed Transfer Courses and courses that apply to a specific career pathway or industry certificate as suggested by the student’s ICAP and corresponding CMC or CMU Plan of Study.

The application window for the 2023-2024 school year is now open. The ASCENT application deadline is Friday, May 3rd, 2024.