NEXT STEPS FOR ELIGIBLE STUDENTS TO JOIN ASCENT (APRIL 12-JUNE 1)

STEP 1: Attend an ASCENT Informational meeting. See details below under "ASCENT Informational Meeting".  You will watch the recording/review the meeting slides, and then complete an attendance form.

STEP 2: Submit required ASCENT documents between April 14-June 1. 

• All information about the required documents can be found on Slide 25 and Slide 26 of the ASCENT Informational Meeting slides (with Notes). You will upload your documents, confirm FAFSA/CASFA, and confirm meeting attendance all here in this form.
• If you want to join ASCENT, please submit the required documents beginning April 14! Students are accepted into ASCENT on a rolling basis once all documents are submitted and confirmed. Slots are limited! 
• Please remember you must also pass your Spring 2025 CE courses (if needed for eligibility) and meet high school graduation requirements. For accepted students, you will also need to turn in your HS diploma by June 1. 

ASCENT INFORMATIONAL MEETING
Eligible students who want to join ASCENT must attend a live, virtual meeting or watch a recorded meeting in order to join the ASCENT program. If you were not able to attend a live meeting, you must watch a recorded meeting to fulfill the requirement. Please watch the recorded meeting and review the presentation slides to fulfill this requirement, then complete an attendance form to track your completion. Use the links below to complete this requirement: 

• ASCENT Informational Meeting - Recorded Meeting 
• ASCENT Informational Meeting slides (with Notes) | Meeting slides (without Notes)
• ASCENT Informational Meeting (slides with notes)-Spanish | Meeting slides (without Notes)-Spanish
• Attendance Form

Parents/guardians/counselors are welcome to attend. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss the benefits and requirements of ASCENT so that students can decide if the program is right for them. Meeting dates are listed below. Students only need to attend one meeting to fulfill the requirement. 

• Tuesday, April 1 @ 12pm - Completed
• Wednesday, April 2 @ 4pm - Completed
• Thursday, April 3 @ 3pm - Completed
• Friday, April 4 @ 12pm - Completed 

HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMAS
Students participating in ASCENT are required to turn in their original high school diploma by June 1st. Students can bring their diploma to their high school counselor or directly to the ASCENT team. The ASCENT team will hold diplomas until a student completes or exits the program.

NO LONGER INTERESTED IN JOINING ASCENT? 
Students no longer interested in ASCENT can decline their application at any time using this link. Once submitted, our team will decline their application and remove them from our communications list.

ASCENT APPLICATION STATUS
The ASCENT application window closed March 1. On March 17, all ASCENT applicants received an email informing them of their eligibility status. Students' application status was one of the following: 

• Eligible: Student has met ASCENT eligibility requirements.
• Eligible with Conditions: Student is in the process of meeting ASCENT eligibility requirements.
• Not-Eligible: We have reviewed the student's application and determined the student is not, and will not become, eligible for ASCENT. If you feel a “Not-Eligible” decision is incorrect, please email kelly_gilmore@dpsk12.net to re-evaluate this decision. 

OVERVIEW 

ACCELERATING STUDENTS THROUGH CONCURRENT ENROLLMENT (ASCENT) is a 5th year high school program funded by the state that allows DPS to pay tuition and fees for one full year of college (fall and spring semesters) for participating students. Students can enroll at one of eight participating colleges and universities (see 'College Partners', below).

Passed into law in 2009 as an extension of the Concurrent Enrollment program, the purpose of ASCENT is to create a streamlined path for students to earn college credits toward an associate’s degree, bachelor's degree or industry certification...all while saving time and money. Any DPS student can participate in ASCENT the year after graduation if they meet the eligibility requirements of the program.

The DPS team provides ASCENT students wraparound services including academic, social-emotional and financial support throughout their first year of college to support the critical transition from high school to college. 

Who is Eligible for ASCENT?

Students with at least 9 credit hours of college coursework by graduation may be eligible for the ASCENT program. 

To be eligible for the program, a student must:

• Complete and pass 9 credit hours of college coursework by the end of senior year:
  • 100-level or higher Concurrent Enrollment course w/a C or better and listed on a student’s high school and college transcripts; 
  • Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) exams taken prior to senior year may count toward the 9 credits needed for eligibility with specific exam scores*
  • CLEP exam scores may count toward the 9 credits needed with specific exam scores*
• Meet all DPS high school graduation requirements by end of senior year
• Be college ready in English and Mathematics in your desired career pathway (does not apply to students attending EGTC and PTC)
• Be in the Class of 2025 (cannot be a Year 13 or 5th year HS student)
• Be less than 21 years old as of October 1st after graduation
• Graduate from a traditional, pathway or charter school in DPS (not an Early College or PTECH HS)
• Apply and be admitted to the college or university you will attend during your ASCENT year (list of partners below)

*exams must be transcripted on a college transcript no later than June 30th of a student's 12th grade year.

ASCENT Program College Partners

Community Colleges
· Arapahoe Community College (ACC)
· Community College of Aurora (CCA)
· Community College of Denver (CCD)
· Front Range Community College (FRCC)
· Red Rocks Community College (RRCC)

Technical Colleges
· Emily Griffith Technical College (EGTC)
· Pickens Technical College (PTC)

University
· Metropolitan State University of Denver (MSU) 

APPLICATION PROCESS

Work with your high school counselor or DSF advisor to complete the ASCENT application: ASCENT Application for 2025-26

Counselors: All forms and links posted in Schoology Course: DPS Concurrent Enrollment and ASCENT. 

Important Dates

November 1: Application Opens
March 1: Application Closes
March 17: Notification of Eligibility
April 1-12: Attend informational meeting
April 14-June 1: Submit all required documents. June 1 is the deadline to submit requirements for ASCENT.

• A student demonstrates college readiness if they meet any of the criteria listed on the College Ready Measures by College: Exams/GPA/Grade Waiver document for the college they will attend.
  
  
• A student demonstrates college readiness for English or Math if they have passed a CE/DE class listed on the College Ready: CE/DE Competency List document. 

• DPS ASCENT pays for all tuition, fees and textbooks for the Fall and Spring semesters following 12th grade. 
• DPS ASCENT offers chromebooks, hotspots and graphing calculators for students to use during the ASCENT year.
• ASCENT students are considered 5th year high school students and therefore cannot accept federal or state financial aid while in the ASCENT program. Students are allowed to apply for scholarships that do not require first-time undergraduate student status.
• ASCENT students continue to have full access to Denver Health clinics.
• ASCENT students participate in all high school graduation activities. 
• A high school diploma is held by ASCENT team until student completes or exits the program.
• The official graduation date on a high school transcript will reflect the date a student completes or exits ASCENT.
• Courses taken during ASCENT year will appear on the high school transcript however they will not impact HS GPA.
• Students may not be able to live on campus (it varies by campus).
• Early College, PTECH students cannot participate in ASCENT as they are excluded from the Concurrent Enrollment Programs Act.