Crimson Compass offers dedicated support for high school students to prepare them for college admissions and help them explore academic direction and opportunities. Each Crimson Compass path offers a structured experience to build skills, gain clarity and make progress toward future college plans.
We’re committed to igniting academic potential, accelerating opportunity and propelling students toward success at The University of Alabama and beyond. Crimson Compass helps students move forward, ready for what comes next. Find the option that fits your goals below.
Choose Your Path
We offer two programs to support high school students at different stages of their college journey:
UA ACTivate and Tide to Success.
UA ACTivate
Residential Summer Program | Starts Summer 2026
Live on campus. Prepare with purpose. UA ACTivate is a residential program on campus that combines ACT prep with the college experience.
During your stay, you will:
- Strengthen ACT test-taking strategies
- Explore UA’s academic and student support resources
- Gain insight into admissions, majors and campus life
From test prep to college admissions, UA ACTivate helps you feel confident, prepared and at home — before you even apply for college.
The cost to attend is $799, which covers lodging, all meals, test prep materials and any student activities. Registration is open now and closes May 15.
Payment is due upon registration. Once registration is completed, students will receive follow-up information regarding summer move-in dates, roommate assignments, the daily schedule, a list of camp activities and more.
Camp Schedule includes the following activities
- 15 hours of structured, test preparation activities
- 6 hours of college readiness and University of Alabama admissions and campus life activities
- Test prep guides and online resources
- Access to practice tests
Important Dates
Camp #1: June 15-18
- Monday, June 15 – Move-In Day & Orientation Activities
- (Parents/Guardians should be prepared to spend some of the day participating in required orientation-related activities.)
- Tuesday, June 16 – Workshop Day #1
- Wednesday, June 17 – Workshop Day #2
- Thursday, June 18 – Workshop Day #3 (Ends at noon)
- Move-Out Day (Move-out must occur by 3 p.m. Central time)
Camp #2: July 13-16
- Monday, July 13 – Move-In Day & Orientation Activities
- (Parents/Guardians should be prepared to spend some of the day participating in required orientation-related activities.)
- Tuesday, July 14 – Workshop Day #1
- Wednesday, July 15 – Workshop Day #2
- Thursday, July 16 – Workshop Day #3 (Ends at noon)
- Move-Out Day (Move-out must occur by 3 p.m. Central time)
Tide to Success
Online Course | Coming Fall 2026
Begin your college journey with confidence. Tide to Success is offered at no cost to in-state students, and is a self-paced, five to six hour online course designed to help you explore college planning fundamentals — on your own schedule.
You’ll learn how to:
- Prepare for the ACT with foundational strategies
- Explore majors and career pathways
- Connect your interests to degree options
- Set academic and personal goals
This flexible course gives you the tools to start strong and make informed decisions, all before you set foot on campus! Tide to Success empowers you to confidently prepare for standardized tests, navigate college admissions and explore degree pathways aligned with your interests and future goals.
The application for Tide to Success will go live in July 2026, and two sessions will be held in September and October More information regarding the fall launch will be added this spring.
Find your direction. Shape your future.
Want to learn more about Crimson Compass? Contact us at crimsoncompass@ua.edu.