North Texas NOW! is a project-based learning dual credit program held at the University of North Texas Frisco campus that has officially turned 2-years-old and facilitated its first graduating class of seniors.  

A total of five seniors on campus enrolled in the program applied for admittance their junior year, and once accepted were placed on a 2-year course with pre-selected credits.

“I chose UNTNow over Collin because there were more dual credit courses that UNT offered,” senior Madison Vargus said. “I knew that by the time I got out of the program and applied for college I would have plenty of dual credit hours.”

Being the first-ever group of students to enroll in this program, seniors will find themselves not only adjusting to no longer being the only students on campus but also the shift in subjects taught as the program fills out.  

“This year we’re taking math and science classes, and labs, while last year’s courses were focused more on social studies and English,” Vargus said. “Our professors are different, while our classmates are the same.”

Rather than taking dual credit courses in a typical college class manner, UNTNow students are in a.m. or p.m. cohorts.

“Being in a cohort is pretty awesome,” senior Marco Figueroa said. “I’ve gotten to meet people I wouldn’t have otherwise met or been friends with and we’ve gotten pretty close over this past year especially as we work together on our projects.”

The seniors this year have a unique experience as they’ve shifted from partial remote learning last year to completely face to face this year as COVID precautions evolved. 

“With face to face, I get to make new friends and experience actual campus life,” senior Nikita Dham said. “I get to have more meaningful experiences with my professors while hybrid learning last year made me more distant from my peers and professors.” 

The curriculum North Texas NOW! has already been set in motion for its juniors and seniors, introducing new concepts and projects for the students.

“This past year has been a positive experience for me, and this year is going to be its own,” Figueroa said. “I’m excited.”