High School

About High School

ACA’s high school program is well rounded and expressly packaged to meet the holistic educational needs of the 21st century student.

High School students in 9th-10th grades follow the University of Cambridge International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) Curriculum. Students are also required to take the following subjects: Bible, Coding (9th), and Physical Education. Sixteen exam subjects are offered at ACA.

Following the IGCSE exams, students proceed to either the U.S. track or U.K track 11th and 12th grade program for completing their high school education at ACA. These programs prepare students for the rigors and independence of university life and culminate in a graduation ceremony at the end of 12th grade with the award of a high school diploma for those who have successfully met the graduation requirements.

ACA’s high school program is well rounded and expressly packaged to meet the holistic educational needs of the 21st century student.

During the graduation ceremony, the valedictorian and salutatorian are recognized based on Grade Point Average (GPA).

Seasoned and well-qualified teachers prepare students for several external exams including IGCSE, A-Level, Foundation Program, Advanced Placement (AP), Explorer Program (DE), and SAT.

After graduating from ACA, students are accepted in recognized universities around the globe. Recent graduates have been accepted into schools such as John Hopkins, Stetson, & Purdue–to name a few. Some ACA graduates have received full tuition merit based scholarships, while the majority has received partial tuition scholarships.

11th & 12th Grade U.S. Track Program

ACA offers an academic program to 11th and 12th grade students that consists of a broad selection of rigorous courses as well as Dual Enrollment (DE) and Advanced Placement (AP). Unique to the program is the opportunity students have to earn university credit while still in high school through the Marquette University’s Explorer Program (U.S.) which grooms students’ independent, self-driven study habits that are necessary for sustainable university performance. The credits earned in these programs are transferable to their prospective university, thereby saving the student and parent both time and money. The program has a global perspective and is equally applicable to students seeking university admission outside the U.S. and Canada

ACA’s U.S. program has helped students gain admission into well-recognized universities such as Drexell, Johns Hopkins, Penn State, Purdue, Stetson, NYU, SCAD, Emily Carr, University of Toronto, University of British Columbia, name a few.

ACA remains committed to building a solid foundation for students so that they can effectively bear the rigor of the most demanding university programs.

AP is recognized as a highly competitive and desirable college-level curricula or program around the globe. Universities in 72 countries outside the United States accept AP scores in their admission process. Some universities acknowledge AP Exam scores for advanced placement, the opportunity to skip introductory-level courses or award credit or points toward an undergraduate degree. Advanced Placement (AP) courses are college-level classes.

The Explorer Program is a dual-enrollment (DE) program through Marquette University (U.S.) which offers qualified international high school students who have demonstrated dedication, ability, and motivation to begin taking college level courses while still in high school. DE courses allow students to receive credit from two academic institutions (ACA and Marquette University) by taking a single class. For many high school students, it is a convenient and affordable way to earn university credit.

ADVANCED PLACEMENT

What is Advanced Placement?

Introduced in 1955, Advanced Placement (AP) is a program developed and delivered by College Board and organized by schools in association with College Board.

Every spring, millions of students worldwide take their AP Exams, finishing what they started and taking the opportunity to stand out to colleges and scholarship organizations.

Why AP?

AP courses are usually comparable to first-year college courses, so students will be prepared for the workload and develop college-level academic skills. And having AP classes on his/her transcript will show universities that he/she has experience with the academic rigor of college classes, which looks good on college applications.

Advantages of AP

According to College Board:

1. Get the Credit You Earned

Earning college credit or placement while you're in high school can save you time and money in the future. You can only earn college credit or advanced placement if you complete an AP Exam.

Three out of four AP students enrolled in a four-year college or university start school with some AP credit. This gives a student the flexibility to change majors, pursue a second degree, or study abroad. By skipping introductory college classes, a student can free up time for courses he/she is interested in and have the chance to graduate early.

Most colleges grant credit, advanced placement, or both for qualifying AP Exam scores. Use the Credit Policy Search tool to explore the schools that you’re interested in and learn how you can save money before even setting foot on campus.

2. Stand Out to Colleges, Universities and Scholarship Programs

Taking an AP Exam helps you stand out to colleges, universities, and scholarship programs by showing them you’re willing to work hard to complete college-level work.

List of AP Courses Offered

AP Research
AP Seminar
Art History
Biology
Calculus AB
Chemistry
Computer Science A
Computer Science Principles
English Language and Composition
English Literature and Composition
Environmental Science
European History
French Language and Culture
Government and Politics (Comparative)
Government and Politics (US)
Human Geographic
Macroeconomics
Microeconomics
Music Theory
Physics 1: Algebra-Based
Physics 2: Algebra-Based
Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism
Physics C: Mechanics
Psychology
Statistics
Studio Art Drawing
Studio Art 2-D Design
Studio Art 3-D Design
US History
World History

Institutions Recognizing AP Score

The AP Score is recognized by Colleges and Universities across the United States, Canada, Europe and other parts of the world. The AP Score has International Recognition. You can find a college or university considering AP score as a benchmark for admission in more than 100 countries including the UK and Europe. Read below official documents regarding

EXPLORERS PROGRAM

What is American Christian Academy’s Marquette Explorer Program?

Unique to American Christian Academy in Nigeria is the Marquette Explorer Dual-Enrollment Program which offers qualified international high school students who have demonstrated dedication, ability, and motivation the opportunity to begin taking college-level courses while they are still in high school. This program gives international students a great start in preparing for college. Marquette University partners with IPERC, which oversees the development and administration of the program abroad.

What is Dual Enrollment?

Dual enrollment (DE) courses allow students to receive credit from two academic institutions (ACA and Marquette University) by enrolling in a single class. For many high school students, it is a convenient and affordable way to earn university credit. ACA’s Explorer Program provides a wide variety of DE opportunities in all major areas of study taught by ACA/Marquette adjunct faculty who have undergone extensive training with Marquette. Upon successful completion of a DE course, students will earn three credit hours per course from Marquette University, transferable to many universities around the globe. In addition, Marquette may offer up to $27,000 in scholarships per year.

Advantages of the Marquette Explorer Program

Earn Marquette University’s college credits while in high school transferable to many universities around the world
More likely to graduate college early and save college tuition
Highly transferable credits
Diverse and rigorous curriculum
Enhance students’ college applications
will be prepared for the rigors of the university through American teaching methods and assessment systems.
have the option to take Explorer courses real-time online through IPERC’s U.S.-based online High School, Ready Global Academy (evening or in the summer)
Guaranteed admission to Marquette University (see below)

Course offerings

American Christian Academy/Marquette University course offering (2023/2024)

Art
Economics
Math
Biology
English
Physics
Chemistry
Geography
Psychology
Computer Science
History

Transferable College Credits

USA

Baylor University
Depaul University
Duquesne University
Pepperdine University
Purdue University
Rutgers University
San Francisco University
Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD)
Seattle University
St. Louis University
University of California-Riverside
University of Findlay
University of San Diego
University of South Dako
University of Tennessee

CANADA

Bishop’s University
Dalhousie University
McMaster University
Simon Fraser University
Western University (King’s University College)
University of Alberta
University of British Columbia
University of Calgary
University of New Brunswick
University of Ottawa
University of Regina
University of Victoria
University of York
University of Windsor

UK/GLOBAL

Edinburgh Napier University (UK)
Goldsmiths, University of London (UK)
Newcastle University, (UK)
American University of London (UK)
University of Exeter (UK)
University of Liverpool (UK)
University of Stirling (UK)
University of York (UK
University of Queensland (Australia)
Macau University of Science and Technology (Macau)
Nanyang Technological University (Singapore)

More universities are coming soon!

11th & 12th Grade U.K. Track Program

The UK Track consists of the A-Level and the Foundation Programs offering a broad selection of rigorous courses.

A-Level Program

The Cambridge GCE Advanced Level (A-Level) is an international academic qualification offered to students by the University of Cambridge International Examinations (CIE). Cambridge IGCSE is a prerequisite for GCE A-Level, a rigorous academic program built around the IGCSE curriculum. Parents of 10th grade students are required to notify the school at the beginning of 4th quarter of intention to enroll in the A-Level Program

Students who proceed with the U.K. track and successfully complete the program will also be eligible to enter any Nigerian university at the 200 level. ACA offers a variety of subjects for the A-Level program, some of which include: Accounts, Art, Biology, Business Studies, Chemistry, Economics, English, French, Info Tech, Literature, Mathematics, Physics, Psychology, and Sociology.

All A-Level students are also required to take Bible and PE. GCE A-Level runs in two streams over a period of two academic years:
Advanced Subsidiary (AS) – 11th grade and Advanced Level (A2) – 12th grade

Foundation Program

The International Degree Foundation Program (IDFP)

The International Degree Foundation Program is a one-year program tailored to prepare students for entry into International and Nigerian Universities for courses in Arts, Business Management/Studies, Computing, Engineering, Sciences, and Social Sciences. Students are required to take 5 subjects while with us.

The International Medical Foundation Program (IMFP)

This program is designed to enable prospective students to gain admission into medical schools abroad to study medical-related courses like Biological Sciences, Dentistry, Health Science, Nursing, Public Health Science, etc. It is a one-year program and its successful completion guarantees the students a place in our partner universities, particularly University of Debrecen in Hungary.

Graduation Requirements

Independent Projects

Included in the 11th and 12th grade (U.S. Track) curriculum is the Independent Project (IP) requirement. Students are expected to choose and develop an independent project that aligns with their passion. The independent project process avails students the opportunity to organize ideas, develop hypotheses, engage in problem solving strategies, hone time-management skills and generally strengthen students in their areas of interest. Each student presents the Independent Project before the end of the academic

Internships

9th-12th grade students are required to participate in an internship program designed to help students gain real world practical experience, usually in a field that complements the student’s academic program. Internships are usually one week in duration and students receive a certificate upon completion.

Community Service

As part of a holistic curriculum of study at ACA, students are required to give back to their host community by completing a minimum of 15 hours of community service. Students may serve as tutors (ESL, peer), teacher/coach assistants (Pre School, P.E., Elementary, Middle teaching), or serve at off-campus charity homes.

Academic Support

Study Hall

ACA provides supervised study hall for students to work independently or benefit from peer tutoring during an open period in their schedule. This intentional time has deepened students’ understanding of various topics and boosted test and exam scores.

Peer Tutoring

Peer tutoring is a unique opportunity for students in 9th-12th grades to experience one-on-one instruction and feedback from a peer who is either in the same class or a class higher than the learner. This opportunity is used to improve both learning and retention for students as well as to increase the confidence and knowledge of the peer tutor.

Extended Learning

The purpose of extended learning is to provide appropriate academic support and interventions for students who are experiencing an area of difficulty. The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) along with his team mentors and teaches the student after school hours according to methods set on the Individualized Educational Plan.