Excelsior Program

The Excelsior Program at Cardinal Gibbons High School is an invitation-only advanced academic program designed to challenge high-performing students through motivation, knowledge, and accelerated classes. Participants receive access to Honors, AP, and DE courses, SAT/ACT Bootcamp discounts, enrichment opportunities, and school-wide recognition. 

This program is meant to recognize the top ten percent of achieving students at Cardinal Gibbons each year. As such, test scores and entrance/maintenance criteria are subject to change on an annual basis. Please be sure to check back each fall for the new year's updated Qualification Criteria to maintain or meet Excelsior Status Requirements for all Excelsior students. 

Qualifications

Incoming Freshmen: Top percentage of testers who perform exceptionally well on the Admissions Entrance Exam (HSPT) and present outstanding middle school grades.

9th Grade Students: Minimum 3.75 unweighted cumulative GPA and 1050 PSAT score OR 24 PreACT score achieved by end of ninth grade year, to include a minimum of three honors-level courses taken during ninth grade.

10th Grade Students: Minimum of 3.75 unweighted cumulative GPA and 1100 PSAT score OR 25 PreACT score achieved by end of tenth grade year, including a minimum of three honors-level or higher courses, OR, a minimum of 3.65 unweighted cumulative GPA and 1100 PSAT score OR 25 PreACT score achieved by end of tenth grade year, to include a minimum of one college-level course and two more honors-level or higher courses taken during tenth grade. 

11th Grade Students: Minimum 3.75 unweighted cumulative GPA and 1100 PSAT score OR 25 ACT score achieved by end of eleventh grade year, including a minimum of two college-level courses and one honors-level course, OR, a minimum of 3.65 unweighted cumulative GPA and 1100 PSAT score OR 25 ACT score achieved by end of eleventh grade year, to include a minimum of three college-level (AP) courses taken during eleventh grade.

12th Grade Students: Must meet and maintain minimum eleventh grade requirements by the end of junior year. All seniors must be identified as Excelsior by the end of junior year.

Transfer Students: Cardinal Gibbons will honor similar programs achieved and maintained in students’ previous schools after a review of academic records.

Excelsior Program Admission and Scholarship Eligibility

Any Cardinal Gibbons student not currently part of this year’s Excelsior Program may still qualify through the end of their junior year to participate, be part of the program, and receive recognition. Students who join the program after the initial freshman year admissions process are not eligible for the Excelsior Scholarship.
 

Benefits

Students who qualify for the Excelsior Program will have access to the following: 

  • Excelsior Award
  • School Recognition
  • Placements into Honors, Advanced Placement, and Dual Enrollment courses 
  • Incoming Freshmen: Summer School Opportunity for High School Course Advancement
  • SAT / ACT Bootcamp discount
  • Field Trips Exploring Honors College Programs 
  • Lecture Series and professional guest speaker seminars 
  • Additional Community Service Opportunities

Excelsior Program Coordinator

Mrs. Veronica Cloyd
Director of Academics
cloyd@cghsfl.org 

Partnerships