Classes taken in the past include health and exercise science, history, government, and communications, among others. In the afternoon, students partake in Introduction to Academic Discovery, a University College Seminar Course taught by OU staff. As part of the class, students work on their Common Application essays, that way they will have an essay ready regardless of where they decide to apply to and attend college.
A Chance to Discover OU
Are you ready to start your college experience as early as next summer?
Consider the Sooner Discovery program, which allows high school students who have completed the 10th or 11th grade and have already achieved academic excellence to attend the University of Oklahoma and take concurrent enrollment classes.
For four weeks during the summer, this year scheduled for June 11 to July 6, 2018, students can get college credit by taking courses on campus in Norman.
“We call it a college immersion experience,” said Josie Lutz, Sooner Discovery Coordinator. “It’s a good way for these students to basically get their first step into college and experience what it really is like, especially at the University of Oklahoma if they’re interested in coming here, although we do have students who participate who may be interested in other schools too.”
As part of the program, students learn about all that OU and the state of Oklahoma have to offer. They live on campus in the residence halls, earn five hours of college credit, and participate in evening programs, which include visits to departments on campus to help them get connected. On the weekends, they take trips to Oklahoma City and Tulsa, exploring spots like Riversport Adventures and the Philbrook Museum of Art.
For Oklahoma residents about to enter their senior year of high school, Sooner Discovery is one of the best ways to utilize the State of Oklahoma’s Concurrent Enrollment tuition waiver.
“What’s great for Oklahoma students is as they finish out their junior year and go into their senior year, they get the state to pay their tuition,” said Jess Mudhar, Summer Programs Coordinator. “This is great for those Oklahoma juniors because they’re paying just the program fee and OU fees.”
Lutz has been involved with Sooner Discovery each summer, working as a discovery guide on the student staff the first two years and as a graduate assistant last summer. She said the program is a valuable experience for everyone involved, from the student workers to the university as a whole to, most importantly, the high school students participating.
“They get connected to OU and connected to college,” Lutz explained. “They get a feel for what it’s like, so all these students typically come in as freshmen and already know what to expect. It’s been cool because we’re now at the point where a lot of them are in the university, and they kind of transitioned to college a lot easier and are loving it here.”
The Sooner Discovery 2018 application is now open! Students interested in applying for the program must have an ACT or SAT on file as they will be applying to the University of Oklahoma as concurrent enrollment students. Click here to apply for Sooner Discovery or here for more information about the program. If you have any questions, you can email soonerdiscovery@ou.edu or call 405-550-3659.
