Global Online Academy |
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The Bolles School is pleased to offer additional courses through a partnership with Global Online Academy (GOA). GOA’s mission is “to empower students, teachers and leaders to reimagine learning to thrive in a globally networked society” and is comprised of an international consortium of schools across 6 continents and more than 30 countries around the world. Taking additional courses through GOA allows students to dive deeper into specific areas of interest or learn about a topic they have not been exposed to before. GOA provides students the opportunity to work virtually alongside teachers and peers around the world.
Common Questions
Who is eligible to take a GOA course?
Sophomores, juniors, and seniors with a 3.0 cumulative GPA and above.
What GOA courses are available to Bolles students?
Please review the GOA Course Catalog for a listing of all the GOA courses available to Bolles students. Some GOA courses have Bolles prerequisites, which are noted in the course catalog and GOA prerequisites page.
Please review the GOA Course Catalog for a listing of all the GOA courses available to Bolles students. Some GOA courses have Bolles prerequisites, which are noted in the course catalog and GOA prerequisites page.
Are there any GOA classes Bolles students may not take?
Bolles students may not take the following courses:
- GOA Academic English Accelerator
- GOA Arabic Language Through Culture I-III
- GOA Digital Photography
- GOA Geometry
- GOA Introduction to Psychology
- GOA Spanish Language Through Culture I
- GOA Introduction to Legal Thinking
- GOA Linear Algebra
- GOA Problem Solving with Engineering & Design
How much time will I need to spend per week on a GOA course?
In a typical GOA course, students can expect to dedicate ten to twelve hours per week to their coursework. This cannot all be done in one sitting on a weekend. Students will need to regularly log into their GOA courses and complete the necessary work. Each class has a calendar that indicates course expectations and assignments.
In a typical GOA course, students can expect to dedicate ten to twelve hours per week to their coursework. This cannot all be done in one sitting on a weekend. Students will need to regularly log into their GOA courses and complete the necessary work. Each class has a calendar that indicates course expectations and assignments.
GOA students and teachers are around the globe. What is the calendar year used and how do we communicate across time zones?
GOA offers semester, year-long, and summer courses. Semester I runs from August to December. Semester II runs from January to April. Summer Term is held June through early August. Note that Summer Term tuition is not covered by Bolles. Exact dates and a calendar for the year is available in the GOA Course Catalog.
The courses are a combination of synchronous and asynchronous sessions. This means that while some of the coursework will be done on your own, there also will be involvement that is via Zoom, Canvas, and Twist, various online platforms GOA employs where students interact with the class, the teacher, on teams, and in small groups. Teachers post schedule options for students to coordinate their times of availability.
GOA offers semester, year-long, and summer courses. Semester I runs from August to December. Semester II runs from January to April. Summer Term is held June through early August. Note that Summer Term tuition is not covered by Bolles. Exact dates and a calendar for the year is available in the GOA Course Catalog.
The courses are a combination of synchronous and asynchronous sessions. This means that while some of the coursework will be done on your own, there also will be involvement that is via Zoom, Canvas, and Twist, various online platforms GOA employs where students interact with the class, the teacher, on teams, and in small groups. Teachers post schedule options for students to coordinate their times of availability.
How much does it cost to enroll in a GOA course?
GOA tuition fees for semester and year-long courses are covered by Bolles. As a part of the GOA course enrollment agreement, students must commit to completing the entire term of the course. If a student drops a GOA course prior to completion, the $600 tuition fee will be billed to the student’s account.
Bolles does not cover tuition fees for Summer Terms. Families will make payment to GOA directly.
GOA tuition fees for semester and year-long courses are covered by Bolles. As a part of the GOA course enrollment agreement, students must commit to completing the entire term of the course. If a student drops a GOA course prior to completion, the $600 tuition fee will be billed to the student’s account.
Bolles does not cover tuition fees for Summer Terms. Families will make payment to GOA directly.
What is the process for GOA Summer Courses?
GOA offers a number of summer courses held over a seven week term that runs for part of June through early August. More information is available on the GOA Summer Course website. Students register for the GOA Summer Courses on their own and submit payment to GOA directly.
Will GOA courses count as an elective?
GOA courses will fulfill elective credit requirements, but they will not count toward the graduation requirements for core courses. In other words, you cannot take a GOA social studies as the third social studies class required for graduation.
GOA courses will fulfill elective credit requirements, but they will not count toward the graduation requirements for core courses. In other words, you cannot take a GOA social studies as the third social studies class required for graduation.
Will GOA courses count towards my GPA?
GOA courses taken during the academic year (Semester 1, Semester 2, or Year-long Courses) count towards a student’s GPA. GOA courses taken over the summer do not count towards the GPA.
Will GOA courses appear on my transcript?
GOA courses taken during the academic year (Semester 1, Semester 2, or Year-long Courses) will appear on the Bolles transcript. GOA courses taken over the summer term will not go on the Bolles transcript. Instead, the student will receive a separate transcript, similar to if they participated in another academic summer program, that can be sent to colleges when a student applies.
How do I apply?
- Review the GOA course catalog.
- Talk to your Academic Advisor about whether a GOA course would be recommeded, including your reasons for wanting to take a given course.
- Complete the application form.
What happens once I have submitted my application?
A committee will review all applications. Once a Bolles student’s application has been approved, our GOA Site Director will enroll the student or waitlist the student. The GOA Site Director will let the student know and will also inform the Registrar and the student’s academic advisor of the status.
A committee will review all applications. Once a Bolles student’s application has been approved, our GOA Site Director will enroll the student or waitlist the student. The GOA Site Director will let the student know and will also inform the Registrar and the student’s academic advisor of the status.
If my application is approved, how does this fit into my Bolles schedule?
The GOA class will be considered one of the Bolles student’s courses during the applicable semester. Therefore, sophomores and juniors must have a study hall in their schedule to dedicate to the work for the course. Seniors must have a free period in their schedule to allow for the course.
Seniors enrolling in a GOA course must have a maximum of 5 additional classes and a minimum of 4 other classes, 3 of which must be academic courses. Seniors are cautioned to consider overall load and to take into account the Bolles requirement that seniors be enrolled in of a minimum of 5 classes per semester. As GOA courses do not begin until September, if the student should want to drop the GOA class for some reason, the semester-long add period for a Bolles-based course will have passed and the student would not be able to pick up an additional Bolles-based course. This would then put the student below the required number of courses for graduation.
Are students taking GOA classes held to the standards of the Bolles Honor Code?
Yes, GOA courses are considered the same as Bolles classes and thus students enrolled in GOA classes are held to the Bolles Honor Code.