An Overview of CGA’s US Diploma

Crimson Global Academy is registered as an online school in the US and we have the most comprehensive level of school accreditation through WASC. The US Diploma has some notable differences to the local Australian or New Zealand curriculum. These key differences are:

• The US school academic year runs from September to the following May with an optional summer term. Advice for ANZ students on the options of when to join the US Diploma is below.
• Students graduate with a US Diploma by earning 18 or 24 credits over the last four years of their schooling for completed classes and meeting minimum credit requirements in subject areas including math, English, science and humanities. 
• During a typical school year, students will earn between 4.5 - 6 credits. Only AP subjects have formal exams in May of each year. The AP exam score does not impact a student's grade/credit earned in the class. Just as in all other subjects, grades and credits earned are dependent on their coursework. For all other subjects, credits are earned from time spent in class. 
• CGA’s US Diploma has an exciting selection of subjects that are career and project-oriented with some classes earning students half credits (1 semester) and other subjects earning a full credit (full academic year). You can see the list of subjects offered on page 12-13 of the US Diploma prospectus.
• The US Diploma is widely accepted by universities in Australia, New Zealand and around the world. Most universities will require students to take a standardised test (SAT or ACT) and may have prerequisite AP subjects depending on the university and course. Students graduating from CGA receive an official transcript and a US Diploma certificate.
• Students who are coming to CGA within the last four years of their schooling can transfer credits from their previous school. We ask that families submit past school transcripts or school reports to SpanTran. This is a paid for service to an external company providing official credit transfer documentation.
• CGA offers three learning formats for the US Diploma: small group classes, 1-1 Da Vinci classes or CGA Flex.

FAQs

Which students are well suited to the US Diploma?

A wide range of students suit the US Diploma but typically we recommend this curriculum to the following students:

• Student-athletes looking to apply for US sport scholarships. The US Diploma is easily recognised by college coaches and the range of learning formats gives students with limited time the most flexibility
• Students who are looking for subjects and learning experiences outside of the traditional subjects
• Students who want to take less exams and instead showcase their strengths in various ways.  The final grade is based on a variety of assessments (quizzes, projects, tests, assignments, lab reports).

How does a student graduate high school with a US Diploma?

Successful completion of 18 or 24 credits (required credits: minimum 4 English, minimum 4 Math, minimum 3 Science, minimum 3 Humanities, minimum 2 World Language for 24 credit diploma).

Could my current school subjects and grades count towards my US Diploma graduation?

Yes we can transfer credits. Successful completion of a course with credit beginning in Australia Year 9 / New Zealand Year 10 can count towards the 18 or 24 credit diploma.

Is the US Diploma harder or easier than my local high school curriculum?

Students can choose to study difficult AP subjects if they wish or choose regular credit courses.

Can I use a US Diploma to apply to university?

Our US Diploma curriculum is acceptable for direct entry to virtually every major university in Australia and New Zealand, provided that the student selects the appropriate courses, achieves the minimum GPA, and takes any required standardised testing. For specific information, we recommend contacting the future undergraduate admissions office at respective universities. Ask what their SAT/ACT requirements are and whether there are any subject prerequisites.

What happens if I join at the start of the US academic year in September?

In general if the student has successfully completed Terms 1-2 of the Australian or New Zealand academic year, we will be able to transfer 0.5 credit for each eligible subject. We do recommend students leave school early enough to take a break before starting their academic year with the US Diploma.

What happens if I complete the school year in Australia or New Zealand and then transfer to the US Diploma at the start of January?

The preferred option is to catch up on Term 1 of the US Diploma with 1-1 Da Vinci classes (approx 25hrs per subject depending on the student) and then join Term 2 group classes or continue with 1-1 classes all the way through. The advantages are the increased accessibility of group classes, it’s easier to apply to local universities by graduating well ahead of the application deadlines and the ability to prepare for AP exams in May. The deadline to enrol in AP subjects via 1-1 Da Vinci is December 2, 2024.

The second option is join at the start of Term 2 and study 0.5 credit courses and take any full credit courses via Da Vinci (50hrs). The challenge here is if students are in their final year, the graduation date would likely be late December and students would need to wait until the following May to take any AP exams so this is only recommended if students are not in their final year of school.

When would I apply and start university if I’m applying to Australian or New Zealand unis?

Students have the choice of graduating with their US Diploma cohort in May and applying for Term 3 university entrance (typically in September) if the program/course/university offers this choice, or waiting to start in the subsequent academic year for Term 1 (January/February).

When would I apply and start university if I’m applying to US or UK unis?

Students apply for Fall entry (typically August, September, October) for universities in Northern Hemisphere countries and submit their application after their graduation in May (end of US Diploma academic year).

Do the US Diploma subjects meet homeschool requirements in Australia?

Yes. We can provide more information to help complete homeschool applications.

What happens if I start in the US Diploma but then decide to go back to a traditional school?

CGA can provide a transcript showing courses completed at CGA.

What are the benefits of doing CGA vs doing AP tutoring / self studying?

As an accredited school with experienced AP teachers and classes audited by the CollegeBoard (the organisation administering the AP exams) there are multiple advantages to studying the APs with CGA:

• CGA enrolled students receive access to the official AP Classroom resources
• US Admission Officers prefer to see students who have the AP class featured on their transcript and an AP exam mark which is only offered to students enrolled in accredited schools.

How CGA’s US Diploma Gives Sport Scholarship Students an Advantage

What are the NCAA subject requirements?

For students aiming for Division 1 programs, the requirements are listed above.

Why do college coaches prefer the US Diploma?

It will be easier for coaches (who primarily recruit US based students) to understand the course choices, GPA, and academic performance of a student athlete taking a US Diploma program.

What are the other advantages of studying in CGA’s US School?

The flexibility of CGA’s US Diploma program allows prospective athletes more time to balance their schoolwork and training and/or competing for their sport.

What subjects would I need to study?

As indicated in the NCAA Division 1 core-course credit requirements, most students have to take courses across the following disciplines: English, Math, Science, Social Science, a World Language, and additional electives to fulfil requirements. Transferring credits from previous schooling can contribute to the overall credit requirements.

How many years of study would I need in the US Diploma to meet the NCAA requirements?

Our US Diploma program typically takes four years to complete but also allows for credit transfers for students who have previously completed grade levels in high school. The minimum enrolment in the US Diploma is for an academic year.

Would joining the US Diploma program mid-year impact my transcript?

It will impact the courses that you are able to take, which will in turn impact the credits required for graduation and the number of credits you have to take for NCAA eligibility - this will not detract from your overall college application.