Transition School and Early Entrance Program
Encyclopedia
The Transition School and Early Entrance Program (TS/EEP) is an early college entrance program
located on the University of Washington
campus at the Halbert and Nancy Robinson Center for Young Scholars. The program was begun in 1977 by the late Halbert Robinson, who recognized the need for extremely gifted students to have an accelerated academic program. The Transition School, founded in 1980, gives a small group of talented middle school age students the chance to enter the University of Washington while also developing the skills, knowledge
, and support needed to succeed in college. The Center is now under the direction of Dr. Nancy B. Hertzog, and the associate director of TS/EEP and Transition School Principal is Dr. Maren Halvorsen. One of the two physics instructors is the physicist Ernest M. Henley
.
The Early Entrance program starts with a one year Transition School. At most 18 middle school age students (no older than 15, usually 14, but there have been students as young as 12) are enrolled each year. They are initially provided with a curriculum comprising five courses, English
, History, Pre-Calculus, Physics
, and Ethics
during fall and winter quarters. In the spring quarter, the Physics and Ethics classes end, and the students each enroll in an entry-level University class of their choice. This provides a taste of what actual University work is like before making a full transition to university classes in the following fall.
Following the Transition School, the students become full-time freshmen at the University, and many also enter the University's Honors Program
. Students usually stay at University of Washington for four years, culminating their Early Entrance Program years with a bachelor's degree
.
The Transition School and Early Entrance Program is a non-residential program open only to residents of Seattle, Washington and the surrounding area. Prospective students from other areas are welcome to apply if they are willing to move to the Seattle area upon acceptance.
Early college entrance program
Early college entrance programs, sometimes called early admission or early enrollment programs are educational programs that allow high school students to be accelerated into college, together with other such students, one or more years before the traditional age of college entrance, and without...
located on the University of Washington
University of Washington
University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
campus at the Halbert and Nancy Robinson Center for Young Scholars. The program was begun in 1977 by the late Halbert Robinson, who recognized the need for extremely gifted students to have an accelerated academic program. The Transition School, founded in 1980, gives a small group of talented middle school age students the chance to enter the University of Washington while also developing the skills, knowledge
Knowledge
Knowledge is a familiarity with someone or something unknown, which can include information, facts, descriptions, or skills acquired through experience or education. It can refer to the theoretical or practical understanding of a subject...
, and support needed to succeed in college. The Center is now under the direction of Dr. Nancy B. Hertzog, and the associate director of TS/EEP and Transition School Principal is Dr. Maren Halvorsen. One of the two physics instructors is the physicist Ernest M. Henley
Ernest M. Henley
Dr. Ernest M. Henley is an American atomic and nuclear physicist.In 1944 Henley received a B.E.E. in Electrical Engineering from the City College of New York. He worked at the Airborne Instruments Laboratory as an electrical engineer from 1946 to 1948. Between 1948 and 1951 he worked at Stanford...
.
The Early Entrance program starts with a one year Transition School. At most 18 middle school age students (no older than 15, usually 14, but there have been students as young as 12) are enrolled each year. They are initially provided with a curriculum comprising five courses, English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, History, Pre-Calculus, Physics
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
, and Ethics
Ethics
Ethics, also known as moral philosophy, is a branch of philosophy that addresses questions about morality—that is, concepts such as good and evil, right and wrong, virtue and vice, justice and crime, etc.Major branches of ethics include:...
during fall and winter quarters. In the spring quarter, the Physics and Ethics classes end, and the students each enroll in an entry-level University class of their choice. This provides a taste of what actual University work is like before making a full transition to university classes in the following fall.
Following the Transition School, the students become full-time freshmen at the University, and many also enter the University's Honors Program
Honors course
Honors course is a distinction applied in the United States to certain classes to distinguish them from standard course offerings. The difference between a regular class and the honors class is not necessarily the amount of work, but the type of work required and the pace of studying...
. Students usually stay at University of Washington for four years, culminating their Early Entrance Program years with a bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
.
The Transition School and Early Entrance Program is a non-residential program open only to residents of Seattle, Washington and the surrounding area. Prospective students from other areas are welcome to apply if they are willing to move to the Seattle area upon acceptance.
Quick facts about the program
- In 2003, the Robinson Center for Young Scholars received the Brotman Award for Instructional Excellence from the University of WashingtonUniversity of WashingtonUniversity of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
.
- The Robinson Center also has summer programs for talented students in the Seattle metro area.
- There have been 3 Rhodes Scholars and 1 Rhodes Finalist from the Early Entrance Program
- In 2002, the Robinson Center added another early entrance program, the Academy for Young ScholarsAcademy for Young ScholarsUW Academy for Young Scholars is a prestigious early-college entrance program located at the University of Washington. Founded in 2001, after the creation of Early Entrance Program , the Robinson Center and the University of Washington Honors Program partnered to create the UW Academy for Young...
. Academy students drop out of high school at the end of tenth grade and enter the University of Washington as freshmen Honors students.