"Spending my senior year at The Clarkson School meant I could take the courses that interested me and enjoy opportunities to participate in research. I received a lot of personal attention and it was easy to get to know the faculty. I was able to transfer my coursework to Cornell and finish my bachelor's degree  in three years. I went on to earn my Ph.D. in Computer Science at the University of California, Berkeley, in 2004." - Scott Aaronson '97, Assistant Professor of Electrical & Computer Engineering at MIT.

The Clarkson School
Early Admission Program

An Unparalleled Early College Experience
Ambitious and talented high school students have a variety of options available to get a jumpstart on college. But unlike AP credits or concurrent enrollment in local community colleges, The Clarkson School offers incoming high school seniors with an unparalleled college experience –– one year ahead of schedule.

A Dynamic Program
The Clarkson School is unlike any other early college program in that it provides exceptional high school seniors with a full academic year of residency-based interdisciplinary education that balances intellectual rigor and practical application. Students are fully matriculated freshmen, taking a full course load alongside Clarkson undergraduates. At the same time, Clarkson School students are immersed in a supportive environment with specialized programs and activities that bridge the transition between high school and college.

Simply put, Clarkson School students have the best of both worlds -- access to all the resources and amenities of a nationally ranked university, with separate residential facilities, exciting activities designed with them in mind, and a faculty and staff dedicated to meeting their unique individual and collective needs.

Exceptional Students
The Clarkson School boasts a diverse student body, with 60% hailing from New York State and 40% from across the U.S. and all around the globe. Admissions are selective, with most enrolled Clarkson School students representing the top 10% of their high school class and a mean SAT score of 1210.

Academics
Clarkson School students are not limited to enrollment in overview introductory courses. As integral members of Clarkson’s freshman class, Clarkson School students are engaged in coursework that exceeds the parameters of conventional high school curriculums or general education credits. After all, we believe education should prepare students for the way the world actually works. You can’t launch your own business or build a solar-electric car in an AP course. Clarkson School students are able to do just that; gaining significant skills they later apply in their progressive areas of study and in defining their career goals.

Guided by experienced advising teams, Clarkson School students chart their own individualized course of study. Students select majors from the School of Business, the Wallace H. Coulter School of Engineering, the School of Arts and Sciences, the unique interdisciplinary Engineering & Management (iE&M) program or University Studies.

Clarkson School students take an average of 31 credits over the academic year, with an emphasis on increasing proficiencies in technical, communication and analytical problem solving skills.  The curriculum is multi-disciplinary, drawing on the strengths of Clarkson’s research and scholarly prominence and renown faculty, while emphasizing practical skills needed for advanced study and in high demand by employers. Typical coursework integrates significant research and writing components as well as a technical and experiential emphasis.

Clarkson School students (“Schoolies”) perform as well as other Clarkson freshmen, with more than half of last year’s Clarkson School class attaining a cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.25 or better; nearly 40 percent attained a 3.5 over the academic year.

Clarkson School Life
Clarkson School students are fully recognized as Clarkson University undergraduates and are immersed in hands-on experiential activities that compliment their academic pursuits. They assume leadership roles in and outside of the classroom, engage in collaborative approaches to problem solving with students across disciplines, and become members of Clarkson University sports teams, clubs and organizations.

Professors say it is nearly impossible to distinguish a Clarkson School student from a traditional Clarkson freshman in the classroom. At the same time, we recognize entering college a year early can be a huge adjustment for most students – and their parents! The Clarkson School provides a highly supportive environment including a designated dorm facility for Clarkson School students, specialized seminars on topics including effective time management, study skills, and career planning and access to a model fully staffed college/university Wellness Programs to assist students confronting adjustment and related challenges.

The Clarkson School also offers structured activities for its students apart from the general undergraduate population, including educational, recreational and cultural fieldtrips, campus forums and special events, a guest speakers’ circuit and formal opportunities to meet with Clarkson School alumni. 

After The Clarkson School
The Clarkson School is designed as a bridge program, allowing exceptional students to take a road less traveled in their scholarly pursuits. Clarkson School students adapt readily to their newfound independence and with significant support and advisement, are challenged to explore their vast options and build a solid foundation for advanced study. At the end of this exciting and challenging “Bridge Year,” more than 50 percent of Clarkson School students remain at Clarkson to complete their undergraduate degrees, many entering the university’s prestigious Honors Program. Other Clarkson School graduates transfer to other prestigious colleges and leading universities with a solid academic foundation including an average of 30 earned credit hours, as well as demonstrated growth, confidence and preparedness to help them succeed in their future endeavors.