Cypress Bay Junior Heads to FIU for a Unique Senior Year

■ CAN DO KID CYPRESS BAY JUNIOR HEADS TO FIU

FOR A UNIQUE SENIOR YEAR

By Terry Jaillet

Andre Quintero is an industrious kid. The honor roll student, who just completed his junior year at Cypress Bay High School, has always been eager to learn and is consistently looking for opportunities to better himself. The first-generation American, whose parents emigrated from Colombia, just blazed a new trail for Cypress Bay students by enrolling at Florida International University (FIU), while still in High School.

Andre is incredibly driven and set a goal of graduating early from high school. During the pandemic, he took advantage of some of the dual enrollment classes taught online and was on track to finish all high school requirements by the end of his junior year.

Andre learned about a unique program offered by FIU where exceptional high school juniors may request early admission to the school. Students who qualify for early admission do not complete their senior year of high school or earn their high school diploma; instead, they begin their first year of college at FIU.

The highly competitive program is only available to A students who score a minimum of 1380 on the SAT and receive a letter from their high school principal or guidance counselor stating specific reasons why they would benefit more from early admission to college rather than completing their senior year of high school.

Andre is the first Cypress Bay student to participate in the program. He went through an extensive interview process before being admitted. Next semester, he will be a Cypress High School senior student who is attending FIU full time.

▸The Florida International University Early Admission Program is available to exceptional high school juniors. To learn more about applying visit https://admissions.fiu.edu/how-to-apply/ high-school-student/