SOAR X

SOAR X is Xavier University of Louisiana’s flagship pre-college program. Dr. J.W. Carmichael established the SOAR (Stress On Analytical Reasoning) program nearly 50 years ago, in 1977, with the goal of preparing high school students for the rigorous mathematical and scientific scholarship that would be expected of them as undergraduates. SOAR’s sister program, SuperScholar EXCEL, catered to students with interests in the arts, humanities, and social sciences. In 2021, the two programs were combined to create SOAR X, which continues the legacies of its predecessors by offering two academic tracks: SOAR X STEM, which focuses on pandemics and public health disparities, and SOAR X Humanities, which focuses on protest and the power of civil disobedience. In each track, students will be asked to engage with advanced texts on complex ideas, work with partners and in groups to elucidate those ideas,

and present their findings to the class in the form of papers, projects, and discussions. Each course offered in SOAR X is fundamentally student-driven—instructors work hard to ensure that students are invested in their learning by empowering them to select topics for research and discussion that they find compelling.

Beyond the Classroom

Although scholarship forms the core of the SOAR X experience, there is far more to the program than academics. We recognize that the transition from high school to college levels far more challenges than thicker textbooks and harder tests—many college freshmen struggle to navigate life away from home and to make meaningful relationships, all while keeping up with their academic obligations. For this reason, SOAR X places a great deal of emphasis on opportunities for participants to develop socially and emotionally. SOAR X residential participants live with a roommate on XULA’s campus for four weeks. They take their meals at the campus dining hall, wash their clothes in the residence hall laundry room, and exercise at the campus fitness center. As a result, residential participants are able to adapt to the demands (and perks) of being away from home before leaving for college. They are guided through this simulation of the college experience by an incredible team of mentors—current students and recent graduates of XULA who have devoted their summers to inspiring a new generation of scholars. These mentors are intimately familiar with the challenges that college presents, and the combination of their lived experience and their specialized training equips them to assist participants with any challenge they might face during the program.

Commuter Option

In 2024, SOAR X is offering a commuter option to students at reduced cost. SOAR X commuter participants will experience all of the academic and daytime cocurricular activities that residential students experience—they will take the same classes, learn from the same teachers and mentors, and be able to build connections with peers that carry over into their college years. Commuter students will be on campus on weekdays from 9am until roughly 5:30pm (or later if they wish to eat dinner at the cafeteria). This truncated commuter schedule is designed to be flexible, allowing local students to attend SOAR X while still having time for other ongoing pursuits such as a summer job or off-season athletics training.

Cultural Excursions

SOAR X also places emphasis on building cultural connections between participants and the surrounding area. Xavier University of Louisiana is not located in a “college town,” where little to nothing of consequence happens off campus. Instead, we are blessed to learn and reside in New Orleans, a city whose history, diversity, and legendary cuisine make it one of the culturally richest places in the United States. SOAR X participants take full advantage of this cultural wealth by exploring the city on regular off-campus excursions. This past summer, SOAR X participants experienced incredible displays of art and culture at destinations such as the New Orleans Museum of Art and at Essence Fest, and learned about Creole cuisine and the civil rights movement over dinner at Dooky Chase, a storied, Black-owned restaurant that’s served thought leaders and heads of state from MLK to Barack Obama. We’re thrilled to be able to enrich our participants’ experiences by offering these (and other) excursions over the course of the program.

We’re confident that SOAR X is an overwhelmingly positive, formative experience for prospective college students. Nearly 90% of SOAR X graduates go on to enroll in college as degree-seeking undergraduates (data from 2011-2021 programs), and more than 1 in 4 SOAR X graduates enroll here at Xavier. We attribute this retention to the incredible community that participants build here over the course of the SOAR X program. That said, SOAR X will prepare students to succeed in college—both inside of the classroom and out—no matter where they enroll.

Paying for SOAR X

$2000 is a fair sum of money to spend, even on something as important as an educational experience for a budding scholar. There are two things to keep in mind when considering the cost of SOAR X:

• Your $2000 covers the entire cost of your child’s attendance (save travel to and from), and
• Your child may be eligible to attend SOAR X at NO cost!

Here are just a few the things your scholar will receive for the cost of tuition:

• 25 nights room and board in a residence hall on XULA’s campus
• 19 meals per week at XULA’s cafeteria, plus the occasional meal out
• A full slate of classes taught by experienced instructors
• Access to XULA’s library, fitness center, and other campus amenities.
• A myriad of excursions to exciting destinations around New Orleans.

These amenities and inclusions make SOAR X an excellent value for the cost of tuition.

Moreover, your child may be eligible to receive a scholarship to attend SOAR X. Thanks to the generosity of our partner, the Gilead Foundation, and the financial backing they’ve provided via their Creating Possible Fund, we’re able to admit eligible students to SOAR X for FREE. Consider the following questions:

• Do you and your child live in the Greater New Orleans area?
• Does your household have a restricted income?
• If your child attends college, would they be a first-generation college student? (In other words, did neither of their parents attend college?)

If you answered ‘Yes’ to all three questions, it is very likely that your child is eligible for the Gilead Award. You can begin applying for financial aid by filling out the SOAR X program application!

Applying to SOAR X

You can apply to the SOAR X program online by finding the ‘Apply Now’ link on the left side of this page. (Do not click the green ‘Apply’ button on the top right—that will take you to the page for applying to Xavier as an undergraduate!)

You will need the following materials to complete your application:

• A copy of your high school transcript.
• A score report of previously taken PSAT, SAT, or ACT test, if available.
• Answers to five written-response questions, not to exceed 300 words each. The question prompts will be included in the application
• Recommendation Form completed by a teacher or counselor familiar with your work. (You don’t need to upload this—instead, please have your reference email the form directly to us at summerprograms@xula.edu)

 

As you complete the program application, please keep the following important dates and deadlines in mind:

All application materials must be submitted electronically with your application. Recommendations ONLY may be submitted via email to summerprograms@xula.edu with the participant’s name in the subject line.

 

Do you need financial assistance? Click below!