Mercyhurst Prep Partnership

Mercyhurst University and Mercyhurst Preparatory School share a celebrated history of education and entrepreneurship, dating back more than 90 years. Since the founding of Mercyhurst, our institutions have held service and hospitality at the heart of our missions, recognizing the dignity of all people, championing inclusion, and providing quality educational experiences for the 21st century. With this in mind, Mercyhurst University is pleased to offer a number of partnership opportunities to benefit Mercyhurst Prep students.

Accelerated Scholars Program

Designed for high-achieving high school juniors, the Accelerated Scholars Program provides students the opportunity to earn a semester’s worth of college credits by taking authentic Mercyhurst University courses during their junior and senior years in high school. Mercyhurst Prep students are eligible for a special exclusive discounted rate of $99 per month, automatically charged to a credit or debit card over 17 months.
Students enroll in online Mercyhurst courses taught exclusively by esteemed faculty, earn transferrable college credits, and make modest monthly payments automatically charged to a credit or debit card. In addition, the credits may be eligible for dual enrollment at the student’s high school. Finally, students who later enroll at Mercyhurst will be eligible for a scholarship that effectively covers the costs associated with Accelerated Scholars; This means students can complete an entire semester of coursework before ever setting foot on campus while paying less for a college degree.

Admission to Mercyhurst University is guaranteed for Mercyhurst Prep students who meet the following requirements:

• Successfully graduate from Mercyhurst Prep with a high school diploma
• Complete an application to Mercyhurst University
• Earn a minimum weighted GPA of 2.75 (as calculated by Mercyhurst University) at Mercyhurst Prep
• Seek admission for the fall semester immediately following graduation from Mercyhurst Prep
• Meet any other application requirements (some programs may require auditions or additional placement tests)

Mercyhurst University will also expedite application review for Mercyhurst Prep students and release their admissions decisions in just a few weeks.

Mercyhurst Prep students who are admitted to Mercyhurst University and have a high school GPA of 2.75 or higher will receive a $23,000 Merit Scholarship, $1,000 Diocese of Erie Scholarship, and $1,000 Sisters of Mercy Award. These awards are renewable for four years, provided the student continues to make satisfactory academic progress and meet eligibility requirements. In addition, students who reside in Erie County, Pennsylvania, and choose to live on campus are eligible for a $2,500 Erie County housing grant.

Students from families with demonstrated financial need may be eligible for additional sources of financial assistance.

Dual Enrollment

Through Dual Enrollment, Mercyhurst Prep students can take university-level courses at Mercyhurst University and earn transferrable college credits. Mercyhurst Prep students will have access to the same quality educational experiences as university students, benefiting from Mercyhurst University’s small classes in safe, comfortable learning environments with individualized attention from responsive faculty. Any university credits students earn during high school will count toward a Mercyhurst University degree, and most credits will transfer to other accredited U.S. colleges and universities.

Dual Enrollment courses are primarily offered on the university campus or online. In some cases, university faculty can travel to Mercyhurst Prep to teach on-site, or Mercyhurst Prep faculty can be certified by Mercyhurst University to teach university-level courses.

Articulation Agreement

The agreed course articulations afford Mercyhurst Prep students the chance to earn college credits and fulfill Mercyhurst University curriculum requirements simply by completing equivalent courses at Mercyhurst Prep. Students must earn a B or better in the high school courses to receive credit. Certain IB/Honors courses at Mercyhurst Prep are one-to-one equivalent to Mercyhurst University courses. In other cases, multiple Mercyhurst Prep courses are collectively equivalent to a Mercyhurst University course.