Academy of Entrepreneurship - Application Process

Application Process

2026-2027 School Year Applicants

We are so excited that you're interested in applying to the Academy of Entrepreneurship for the 2026-2027 school year! The Academy is the leading program for students interested in business or entrepreneurship, and we can't wait to give you the tools you need to succeed after you graduate. This year we have multiple events planned to give you an opportunity to meet with us and go over any questions you may have! We hope to see you there!

Magnet Academies Showcase

The Magnet Academies Showcase is an annual event hosted by the Alachua County Public Schools Magnet Program division. The showcase features many amazing opportunities, including the Academy of Entrepreneurship. This years showcase will happen on October 25th from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM at the Alachua County Sports and Events center! We can't wait to meet you!

Academy Open House

The Academy of Entrepreneurship Open House night is scheduled for November 3rd at 6 PM. Hosted at Buchholz, eighth grade students and parents are welcome to learn more about the application process for the 2026-2027 school year. At this time, parents and students can learn more about the curriculum and the benefits of the Academy of Entrepreneurship while hearing from current Academy students. The Open House features brief presentation in the auditorium before a tour through the Academy with a variety of guest speakers to help you understand what we have to offer. We want students to learn about our Academy and understand what their experience will be like for the upcoming year.

Shadowing

Shadowing is offered to current 8th grade students who are interested in joining the Academy. Shadowing will be hosted from December 1 - 12. Prospective students are able to shadow current Academy students for half of a day, following them as they attend two core classes and their Entrepreneurship period. Space will be limited to 5 students in the morning and 5 students in the afternoon. Interested parents can email or call Ms. Sonny Jenkins at jenkinssm@alachuaschools.net or (352) 955-6702.

Application (online)

Students interested in applying for admission should submit a completed application by the district deadline. The district application will open on December 2nd, 2025 for ALL Academic and Career Magnet Programs. The application can be found at the Magnet and Academies Page on the school board website. Both Alachua County schools students and private school students should use this link to complete the application by January 12th, 2026. Prospective magnet students may apply to up to 5 magnets and RANK their preferences. These rankings will be used in the selection process. Ranking the Academy of Entrepreneurship #1 is very important considering the number of applicants we typically receive.

Application and acceptance deadlines are set and strictly enforced by the Alachua County School Board, and it is important to meet the deadlines. The deadline for submitting an application to all the district's magnet and choice programs will be determined by the district. All applicants will be notified by email whether or not they have been accepted. Acceptance letters will be sent out to students.

Transcripts of students attending Alachua County Public Schools will be accessed electronically upon receipt of the student's application. Students attending schools outside of Alachua County Public Schools should obtain a transcript from their school.

Career and technical essays will be included in the application process and should be limited to 300 words. This years prompt is to:

Describe something you are passionate about or something that motivates you.

2025 - 2026 Application Timeline

10/25 Magnet Showcase @ 10:00 am

11/3 AOE Open House @ 6:00 pm

12/2 Applications Available

1/12 Applications Due

TBD Acceptances Mailing

TBD Commitment Deadline

Application Forms

SBAC Magnet Application

Outside Alachua County Schools

Transcript

Magnet application dates flier.pdf

Admission Criteria

To be considered for acceptance into the Academy of Entrepreneurship, students must meet the following criteria:

Minimum GPA 2.5
Discipline, including current and prior school year:
- No "Major referrals"
- No more than 4 out of school suspension days
Students must maintain good attendance, with no more than 10 unexcused absences the prior semester
Students should have an expressed interest in Entrepreneurship or Business Management

Transportation

Busing: Transportation to career academies for out-of-zone students is provided via satellite stops. Satellite stops will be at the student's regularly zoned high school for both current and new magnet students. There are a few other highly populated magnet stops in addition to the high school sites. If your student is interested in staying after school to participate in extra curriculars or clubs, it is the students responsibility to arrange alternate transport on those days. Transportation for students is handled through the Alachua County Public Schools Transportation Office. More information can be found on their website, here.

Parking: Academy students are welcome to drive themselves to and from campus after they have received their drivers license (usually their Junior and Senior years). Parking is handled on a first come first serve basis by the Buchholz Student Government, and may have a fee attached to it. Due to limited onsite parking, students also have the ability to pay for parking at the nearby Northwest Baptist Church or park for free at the street parking across from the Boys & Girls Club. More information on parking can be found on the Buchholz website, here.

Drop-off/pickup: We encourage parents to transport their kids to and from school! Traffic can be crazy on the road that Buchholz is on, so we recommend building in an extra 15-20 minutes into your schedule to account for it!

10th & 11th Grade Students

While the Academy of Entrepreneurship usually only accepts rising Freshmen applicants, 10th and 11th graders that are interested in applying to the program may contact roschewl@alachuaschools.net to apply for an exception. Students starting the program in 10th & 11th grade may be subject to altered schedules and/or being placed in lower grade level classes if they wish to graduate from the Academy.

Application and acceptance deadlines are set and strictly enforced by the Alachua County School Board, and it is important to meet the deadlines. The district prohibits discrimination in the terms and conditions of employment, and in access to educational programs and activities, and prohibits harassment of any individual or group on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation or genetic information (and other protected classes included in the district’s nondiscrimination policies).

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