The ACAP 2024 Application Period is now closed.
ACAP (Accelerated Career Awareness Program) is a one-week residency program for high school students (all grade levels) interested in a career in accounting and other business-related fields. ACAP is a program sponsored by the Dallas/Fort Worth Chapter of the National Association of Black Accountants, Inc. (NABA).
Held at Southern Methodist University ( SMU ) in Dallas, TX (Dallas ACAP), Texas Christian University ( TCU ) in Fort Worth, TX (TCU ACAP), and the University of North Texas in Denton, TX (UNT ACAP), the programs introduce students to accounting, finance, economics, and management through a focused, undergraduate-level program taught by college faculty and guest lecturers in business and government. During the week, students have the opportunity to attend classes on careers in accounting and business, personal development, college preparation, and tours of college campuses, local companies, and CPA firms. The programs conclude with the students inviting their parent(s) or guardian(s) to a luncheon or banquet in commemoration of their completion of the program. Dallas ACAP began in June 2001; TCU ACAP launched its inaugural program in Summer 2021, and UNT ACAP will launch in Summer 2023.
On the national level, ACAP began in 1980 when NABA recognized the need for a program that would direct African-Americans and other minorities towards the accounting and finance professions. Recognizing that preparation for a professional career begins in junior and senior high school, NABA designed a pilot program that would be informative, yet go beyond words. The result was the development of an on-site, interactive enrichment program.
NABA's National Office is in Greenbelt, MD. ACAP is located in various U.S. cities. See the list of other ACAP chapters at http://www.nabainc.org/acap.
What are the Goals and Benefits?
The primary objective of ACAP is to increase the understanding of accounting and business career opportunities among high school students from underrepresented ethnic groups.
There are educational and personal development benefits to attending ACAP. Some of the benefits include:
*Attend technical sessions to learn more about accounting and finance as a course of study
*Meet and hear from a panel of accounting and finance professionals from local accounting firms and corporations
*Participate in corporate visits and network with corporate executives
*Learn the requirements of becoming a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and the importance of having a CPA certification
*Network, make new friends and develop personal skills in a real-life college setting
*Join the ACAP Alumni Association to keep in contact with former ACAP students
Click on the following link for more information on a career in accounting.
What is the Success Rate?
Approximately 80% of Dallas ACAP students go on to college and major in accounting or other business-related disciplines. The other 20% are undecided or major in other disciplines. Click here for the student demographics over the years. See the Alumni page for other success stories. Similar statistics will be maintained for TCU ACAP.
What is the Cost?
ACAP is free to the students; however, we estimate the cost to approximate $1,300 per student. If you wish to financially support future ACAP programs, please see the Dallas ACAP Corporate Prospectus (Dallas ACAP) or the TCU website ( TCU ACAP ).
