Summer Opportunity for Academic Success

SOAR 2012 is scheduled for June 17- July 27, 2012

The SOAR program is designed to help a select group of recent high school graduates make the transition from high school to college. During this program, they will be exposed to UNC Asheville's academic expectations, as well as the culture of the campus and the greater Asheville community. The SOAR program lasts 6 weeks, and its timing is based on research showing that students' activities in their first 6 weeks of college are those that carry forward throughout their collegiate experience.

What classes do students take during SOAR?

All students participating in SOAR take two classes: LSIC 179 (a writing intensive course) and a MATH course. Most freshmen at UNC Asheville struggle with either math or writing courses (rarely both), and these two courses give SOAR students the opportunity to demonstrate their skills in one of these areas while having the time and support to focus on the subject that they find more challenging.

What do SOAR students do in Asheville during the summer?

While SOAR students have plenty of time to explore Asheville and Western North Carolina on their own, there are organized activities planned throughout the summer; these activities are both social and academic in nature. Like all new freshmen, SOAR students are not permitted to have cars on campus. SOAR is a residential, experiential program, and the impact of the program on students' future success is negatively impacted when they spend extended time away from campus and other SOAR students. Students are expected to spend all nights during the program on campus.

What happens to SOAR students in the fall?

Students are required to make a 2.0 cumulative GPA in their summer classes, and if they make this GPA, they are invited back to UNC Asheville in the fall as full members of the freshman class. In the fall semester, SOAR students are held to the same academic standards as the rest of their peers in the freshman class and must maintain above a 1.0 minimum cumulative GPA. Because SOAR students have already acclimated to culture of UNC Asheville and are well aware of the resources and opportunities available on campus, we look to them to become the leaders of their class.

In the fall semester, SOAR students will continue to interact with each other and SOAR faculty and staff and continue to participate in campus activities as a group.

SOAR Alumni Accolades

Yaw Amanfoh (SOAR '11) was named Homecoming King for 2012 and recipient of the Emerging Leader of the Year Award at the 2012 Alumni & Student Leadership Awards Banquet!

Shonese Jones (SOAR '11, women's basektball) was named Big South Freshman of the Year!

Melanie Kulesz (SOAR '09, cross country athlete) set the freshman record for the 6k at the NCAA Regional Championships, was an All Conference performer at the Big South Championships and qualified for the 2010 USA Junior National Championships.

Jessie Clanton (SOAR '08) has won the 2008-2009 Olivia Jones Gudger Freshman Writing Contest.

Chris Stephenson (SOAR '08, basketball) was named Big South Freshman of the Week in January 2008.

J.P. Primm (SOAR '08, basketball) At 139 in the 08-09 season, his assist total was the most by a Bulldog freshman in 16 years.