General Information

The Collegiate High School (CHS) at Northwest Florida State College is an innovative charter school, unique in Florida, that enables 10th, 11th and 12th grade students to simultaneously earn both a standard high school diploma and a transferable two-year college degree or transferable college credits. The CHS is a public school and is free of charge to students. College-credit classes, college and high school textbooks, provision for transportation, use of a personal laptop computer, tutoring and more are all provided at no cost.

The Collegiate High School achieved the prestegious honor of being named a 2006 National Blue Ribbon School. Students at the Collegiate High School earn among the top scores in Florida on standardized tests and the school consistently places among the top five high schools in the state in the Florida Accountability Program each year. For more information on the school's accomplishments view the CHS annual report (see link in right panel). The school is located on the Northwest Florida State College Niceville campus and is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.

Since the school was established in 2000, seven classes of seniors have graduated from CHS and have successfully transferred to top colleges and universities nationwide. Graduates have received an impressive list of scholarships for universities including the U.S. Air Force Academy, the prestigious FSU School of Music, Notre Dame, California Poly-Tech, Stetson University, the University of Georgia, University of Virginia, Judson College, Millsaps University, the University of West Florida College of Education, the UWF College of Professional Studies, University of Central Florida, Flagler College, and Florida Atlantic University, Marquette University, the University of Alabama, and Auburn University.

The Collegiate High School provides a small school atmosphere with personal attention, free tutoring, and instruction by college faculty who hold doctorate or other advanced degrees in their fields of expertise. The school is dedicated to students who are serious about their studies and mature enough to thrive in a college environment. The Collegiate High School provides a wide array of student activities such as student government, academic team, National Honor Society, yearbook, prom, International Thespian Society, Interact Service Club, Math team, Science Bowl team and more. Students may also participate in Northwest Florida State College activities such as Forensics and Brain Bowl teams, dance line, Phi Theta Kappa college honor society, Show Choir, jazz band, youth symphony orchestra and more. Collegiate High students may also continue to participate in extra-curricular activities, such as band and sports teams, at their regional public high school if these activities fit into the students daily schedule. In addition, students have access to all of Northwest Florida State Colleges state-of-the-art facilities, programs and organizations.

The Collegiate High School isn't for everyone. However, the school may be the right educational choice for the student who:

• needs a more academically challenging curriculum
• wants to earn a college degree or college credits at no cost
• desires to concentrate studies in a specific field such as computer science, fine arts or other fields.
• desires to enter a career immediately upon graduation.
• desires to earn industry certification in computer programming or networking.

Students who attend CHS may individualize the Associate of Arts degree to meet the specific pre-requisite requirements of more than 200 bachelor's degree programs. CHS students who complete a high school diploma and an Associate of Arts degree are guaranteed admission and a seamless transfer of college credits to meet degree requirements in the Florida university system and may also transfer credits to universities nationwide. Students also have the option to earn a technically-oriented Associate of Science degree in more than 30 different areas, such as computer network engineering, computer drafting and design, graphic arts and other fields.

For more information, call the Collegiate High School at (850) 729-4949.