Request More Information About Ascend
How it Works
Ascend students attend three live student events held in Michigan, Alabama, and Colorado. These events happen in August, January, and April. Event registration, room & board are all included in tuition for Ascend students. Plus free travel to APEX, the first or final event of the year depending on when your student enrolls.
Read more about Live Student Events by clicking here.
Your student’s Ascend Team will be comprised of 8-10 other Ascend students and will meet once a month for coaching, support, and accountability. Each team is led by an Ascend Team Leader (ATL). ATL’s are Ascend alumni who have been intensively trained in coaching, leadership, and academic support.
Read more about Ascend Teams and ATLs by clicking here.
Each month in Ascend your student will attend an Expert-Led Webinar in addition to their Ascend Team meeting. These webinars give students a chance to hear from intentionally selected field experts and see how what they are learning is realistically and successfully applied in the real world.
Read more about Expert-Led Webinars by clicking here.
During the first 4-weeks of their Ascend enrollment, your student will brainstorm ideas for their Ascend Project and submit final ideas to their ATL. During the Spring semester, your student will begin executing their project, submitting status updates to their ATL along the way for feedback. At the end of April, they will submit their final, completed project to their ATL.
Read more about Hands-On Projects by clicking here.
Over the course of the year, your student will complete a series of life and leadership courses that cover topics including life purpose, decision-making, how to find work you love, and how to develop and practice critical leadership skills, all from a Biblical perspective.
Read more about Life & Leadership Courses by clicking here.
Upon successful completion of their year in Ascend, your student will receive two elite certificates: one in leadership and the other in professional development and life skills training. These certificates signal to employers the kind of real-world education your student received through Ascend and their qualification for bigger challenges.
Read more about the Professional Development opportunities through Ascend by clicking here.
FAQs
Basecamp is held in Gulf Shores, AL January 20-24, 2024.
Capstone is held in Estes Park, CO April 20-24, 2024.
APEX is held in Lake City, MI, August dates TBA.
All dates and locations are subject to slight changes.
Ascend Teams are led by Ascend Team Leaders (ATLs). ATLs are Ascend alumni or older students who have applied for, been accepted, and are specifically trained to lead a team. ATLs complete ongoing training throughout the program as well that enables them to continue building and improving their leadership skills.
Ascend teams meet monthly via Zoom to discuss the monthly webinar, support each other through their courses and projects, and receive coaching and mentorship from their ATLs specific to where they are in life and what kinds of decisions they are facing.
Webinars are held a set time each month. Typically, they are scheduled for 7:30pm EST on the second Tuesday evening of the month. Webinars are also recorded and made available to students following the live presentation. However, students are required to attend at least 6 webinars live.
Past Ascend students have:
- Planned and hosted a fundraiser masquerade ball for a local anti-human trafficking organization, raising $52k. Click here to watch the story.
- Wrote, filmed, and produced a short-film to raise awareness for depression. Click here to watch the film.
- Built a skin-on canoe for a four-day river trip.
- Trained for and ran a Tough Mudder obstacle course. Click here to watch the story.
- Organized and ran Bible study intensives for their local communities.
- Built and launched a local pet and house-sitting business.
- Choreographed, performed, and recorded a dance piece depicting the story of Revelation 11:3–13.
- Hosting an outdoor survival camp for 5–6 young men, teaching the four essentials of wilderness survival.
- Studied for and obtained their Real Estate license.
And many more!
It depends on the project. We have students complete individual and team projects every year and both are options.
Enroll Today
FREE travel to Ascend events included in enrollment through December 31st
Certificate
Path
-
$1,000 deposit due upon enrollment
Or $7,995 paid in full
Still Deciding
Path
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$1,000 deposit due upon enrollment
Or $8,500-9,500 paid in full - Includes 9 or 15 college credits
Debt-Free
Degree Path
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$1,000 deposit due upon enrollment
Or $11,500 paid in full - Includes 30 college credits
Hear from Parents
Ascend was the perfect program for our daughter who wanted to. . .seek leadership opportunities and be immersed in a community which espoused a Christian worldview. I have enjoyed seeing my daughter build lifelong friendships while gaining self confidence and discovering new gifts.
Nicholas C.,
Student Parent
As I read about Ascend, I knew it was exactly what our son needed. He has thrived! It is a fresh perspective on how to train up young people to be resilient overcomers in the world, as well as a brave outlook on education. Our son has become better with managing his time and encouraged that God has a purpose for his unique talents and interests. . It has been one of the most challenging things he has taken on, but he loves it.
Sarah B.,
Student Parent
I love when my girls talk about what they’re experiencing and I also enjoy overhearing the teaching! The result of being challenged in a Christ-focused direction has great value. Love the leadership, thoughts and relationships cultivated.
Dawn S.,
Student Parent
I have watched my Ascend student grow in her leadership abilities, take on new challenges with confidence, and expand her understand of people dynamics through the content. Ascend is a very wise investment to make, and will yield results in all areas of adult life, not just career prep.
Tracy K.,
Student Parent
There are plenty of programs to teach information and knowledge, but precious few that teach life application and wisdom - especially from a Christian worldview. I have seen my six children all grow through this program - each of whom emerged uniquely stronger (intellectually, emotionally, spiritually) and better prepared for life than the other young adults I see all around me. Initially, I was a skeptic - now an enthusiastic advocate!
Michael S.,
Student Parent
As the parent. . . I can honestly say this community has been life changing for my son and our family. . . No matter who you are you will find friends and support in this group. And you will receive a fantastic education in both academics and life.
Rebecca L.,
Student Parent
Hear from Students
I’ve realized what leadership actually means, and I have been able to gain confidence in my ability to plan, coordinate, and execute projects. It’s an amazing program that teaches real-life skills that you won’t learn anywhere else.
Faith S.,
Ascend Student
Ascend is a program where you learn to have a question-based mindset, where you learn to ask questions and grow more in your understanding. Ascend has helped me realize that in order to be extraordinary at the ordinary, I need to learn to seek discomfort to grow, learn to ask questions to further my understanding and knowledge.
Andrew C.,
Ascend Student
Ascend has helped me to come out of my shell and not be as afraid to try new things. This is a place where you can be yourself and almost always find someone to laugh with you. They challenge you to do things that grow you and challenge you in new ways. It's also a great way to make friends and build connections.
Alexandra F.,
Ascend Student
I chose Ascend because it sounded like it incorporated an in-person community. . . and had much more of a life application emphasis than other programs. Connecting with people from around the country gave me a much higher motivation and encouragement than I would have otherwise. Also the leadership courses had a ton of impactful reading and discussing it with the others was very thought provoking and developed how I see and move in the world.
Jesse K.,
Ascend Student
Ascend has introduced me to some of the most extraordinary people in the world. The friendships I made in this past year are not fleeting or superficial; but rooted in a love for Jesus and passion for living life which promises longevity. I couldn't be more grateful.
Briley C.,
Ascend Student
Ascend changed the way I view my abilities. . . the way I view leadership, and the way I view time management. You seriously need to do Ascend, it'll change you for the better in many ways, and you'll never find a better community.
Colton J.,
Ascend Student
Ascend has pushed me outside of my comfort zone within a supportive network of friends. My critical thinking skills have improved and the relationships in my life have flourished because I have been given tools that have grown my character.
Tim F.,
Ascend Alumnus
The Ascend program has been a great fit for me. Ascend is not just a typical online college program. The community involved with the program is supportive and helpful! Ascend has been beneficial for me where I am right now and for the future. You're not just a number, you're a part of a community!
Madison T.,
Ascend Alumna
The Ascend program was an awesome experience! Not only was the content from the webinars amazing, but the in-person events were so valuable! The students on my team and in the whole class are still some of my closest friends. It was an honor to graduate alongside such genuine, intelligent, and exceptional people.
Tamma P.,
Ascend Alumna
Cont. FAQs
Enrollment in Ascend costs $7,995. Tuition covers your student’s Ascend Team, Ascend Project, monthly coaching and webinars, registration to three live events plus travel to the first, access to the online Navigate life purpose course, registration for the online Signature Leadership Course Series, and daily access to their coach, teammates, fellow students, and program staff via Slack.
This depends entirely on the student. Each year we have a mix students who are finishing high school or already graduated. The best way to determine if your student can manage Ascend alongside high school is to talk to an admissions counselor about the time commitment. Click here to book a call!
Nope! Ascend is a remote program that give students the opportunity to build a network and form connections across the country while continuing to invest in their local communities, families, and churches.
Yes! We offer payment plans that allow you to pay for Ascend in up to 12 installments depending on how early you enroll.
While ultimately it comes down to each individual student and their schedule, the vast majority of Ascend students work part or full time while completing the program.
Each Ascend Team includes 8-10 students and one Ascend Team Leader.
Of course! While Ascend is not first and foremost a gap year program, it is designed with easy exit points after each year.
Just one: that your student wants to enroll. It’s very important that each student who enrolls in Ascend wants to be here. We tell all students that their experience in Ascend is very likely to be extraordinary, but whether or not that happens is up to them and their willingness to show up and invest.
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