Published Sept. 9, 2020
BATON ROUGE, LA – Compete Louisiana (Compete LA), a statewide college completion initiative powered by the University
of Louisiana System, is announcing the launch of Compete LA Academy. This ambitious new program is designed to help adults who have stopped out of university
return and earn their degrees.
The Academy is made possible through a collaboration with StraighterLine, which partners with colleges to provide affordable competency-based college readiness
and re-entry programs.
“Compete LA Academy is an additional way for us to provide a bridge back to our universities
and help adults progress toward finishing the degree they need to succeed in Louisiana’s
growing industries,” Dr. Jim Henderson, president and CEO of the UL System, said.
The University of Louisiana Monroe participates in Compete LA and the Academy. ULM offers these Academy courses, Student Success, Introductory Algebra, College Algebra, Developmental Algebra,
English Composition I, English Composition II, Introduction to Biology, Introduction
to Business, Introduction to Communication, Introduction to Sociology, Introduction
to Psychology, and U.S. History I.
Tuition for Compete LA Academy is $150 per month and is delivered through the StraighterLine platform, which has demonstrated increased student persistence and success rates.
In addition to convenient access to online courses, the tuition includes e-textbooks,
online tutoring, access to coaching, and other support services seven days a week.
Enrollment in Compete LA Academy is now open. Students interested in learning more
about re-enrolling in college through Compete LA initiative can visit academy.competela.org.
About Compete LA
Launched in 2019, Compete LA is part of the University of Louisiana System’s goal of producing 150,000 new college graduates statewide by 2025. Through the new online Academy, returning students will have access
to approved, competency-based courses to earn credits toward a degree.
The flexible learning model allows students to restart their academic journey at any
time. Compete LA provides a team of dedicated coaches who engage directly with students who have existing academic
credit but stopped short of a degree – many of them working adults ages 25-44. Students
receive counseling personalized to their past educational experiences and recommendations
for accessing financial aid and transferring existing credit to one of the System’s
member institutions.
In addition to ULM, the public universities participating in the initiative include
Grambling State University, Louisiana Tech, McNeese State University, Nicholls State
University, Northwestern State University, Southeastern Louisiana University, University
of Louisiana at Lafayette, and the University of New Orleans.
