AcademyOne Launches 'Grad TX' Website Helping Texas Adults Finish College

WEST CHESTER, Pa., Aug. 4, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Education technology firm AcademyOne announced the launch of the Grad TX website (www.GradTX.org).   AcademyOne develops innovative technology including, websites, portals and mobile applications promoting college and career success.  The Grad TX website offers tools and services for adults returning to college to finish their bachelor's degrees.  Grad TX targets over 40,000 Texas adults who "stopped out" of college with 90 or more credit hours, but have not finished the 120 credit hours required for a degree.  Eight Texas universities participate in the program.

Texas Commissioner of Higher Education Raymund Paredes said, "The THECB, working closely with our state colleges and universities, is focused on significantly increasing the number of college graduates."  Lamar University, Midwestern State University, Texas A & M University-Commerce, Texas Tech University, University of Houston-Downtown, University of Houston-Clear Lake, University of North Texas System and University of Texas at Brownsville participate in the Grad TX program offering adult focused programs with online, compressed and regular courses for returning students. The THECB received a College Access Challenge Grant from the U.S. Department of Education totaling more than 12 million dollars, a portion of which supports Grad TX.  

Grad TX (www.GradTX.org) offers online tools to help returning students calculate how prior credits will count toward a bachelor's degree at a participating university. The website connects students to university counselors specializing in assisting adult students, such as determining how work experience will count toward a bachelor's degree and helping students graduate faster.  It also includes information for veterans, as well as financial aid and financing options.

The website includes inspirational success stories of adult students.  For example, Michael Hanks earned a BS, Political Science in 2011 at UHD.  Hanks describes completing his studies, "I started off just taking a couple hours at a time, but toward the end I was working and going to school full time. Most of my classes were in person; about 30 percent of them were online.  All my classes were at night. The earliest class began at 5:30."

Annabel Marquez earned a BAAS in Applied Technology in 2011 at UNT. Marquez explains her academic journey, "When I finished at the community college, UNT's BAAS program was able to accept all the courses that I had already completed. I considered some other local universities but they wouldn't accept as many credits, and I had already invested so much time into my education."  

More than three million Texans have some college credit, but no college degree.  Dr. Van Davis, Director of Special Projects, commented, "Grad TX puts a bachelor's degree within reach for many Texans."  Commissioner Paredes further noted, "Encouraging and assisting our adult population to get back on track for a college degree is critical for Texas to become a national leader and global competitor."  For more information, please visit www.GradTX.org.

About AcademyOne

AcademyOne is an innovative technology and services company offering solutions that address academic progress, transitions and issues of learner mobility and academic credit portability.  The company focuses on serving students, institutions, systems and governments by solving the challenges of an increasingly mobile and diverse population of learners.  Our team of professionals offers a broad scope of education, operational and technology experience and subject matter expertise.  The company has developed a suite of education access and success solutions, content and data systems delivered through web and mobile platforms.

About Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board

The THECB's mission is to work with the Legislature, Governor, governing boards, higher education institutions and other entities to help meet the goals of the state's higher education plan, Closing the Gaps by 2015; thereby, providing the people of Texas the widest access to higher education of the highest quality in the most efficient manner.

Contact:
Michelle Davis, Marketing and Communications
AcademyOne, Inc.
601 Willowbrook Lane
West Chester, PA 19382
Telephone: 610.436.5680 x 303
Email: [email protected]
www.academyone.com

SOURCE AcademyOne