The Miami-Dade school system has a new option for high schoolers looking to rack up college credits.

The Academy for Advanced Academics will allow juniors and seniors from five Miami-Dade high schools to take classes at Florida International University.

By the time the teens graduate from high school, they'll have completed up to two full years of college.

``It's going to be a great experience,'' said Dilia Oliva, 16, who will be part of the school's inaugural class. ``It's impossible to really experience college unless you are actually there -- and we will be there.''

The new program is similar to the district's School for Advanced Studies, which lets high schoolers take classes at Miami Dade College. The School for Advanced Studies has become a popular option for gifted students; about 500 participate each year.

Students at the Academy for Advanced Academics will take all of their classes at FIU's Maidique Campus in West Miami-Dade.

Each student will build a class schedule based on their academic interests.

In the morning, the high schoolers will take college classes with the undergraduates at FIU. They'll stay on campus in the afternoon for their Advanced Placement classes, college-level courses taught by high-school teachers.

FULL-TIME WORK

``They are going to have a full load,'' program administrator Omar Monteagudo said. ``Some of the students will be taking junior-level classes at FIU.''

The Academy for Advanced Academics will have a counselor on staff and a mentoring program to provide support to students.

``This will be a nurturing environment,'' Monteagudo said. ``The teachers, counselors and the administration will know the students very well and will understand what their needs are.''

The counselor will also advise students when it comes to furthering their education beyond high school, Monteagudo said.

The teens will be able to attend university seminars and take part in university activities.

They can also play sports and participate in clubs at their home high schools. They'll get to partake in their prom and high school graduation, too.

Admission into the program is competitive. Students must have a GPA of at least a 3.0 and top scores on the PSAT.

This year, the program accepted 100 teenagers from five senior high schools: G. Holmes Braddock, Miami Coral Park, John A. Ferguson, Ronald Reagan and Felix Varela.

Students from other schools may be accepted in the future, Monteagudo said.

Carlos Santiago, 16, said he enrolled for the advanced course work -- and for a taste of college life.

``It's going to be a challenge,'' said Carlos, who will also be enrolled at Reagan Senior High. ``But I'm up to it.''

The program also boasts a big benefit for parents. The Academy for Advanced Academics, like all other public schools, is free.

``The savings are enormous,'' Monteagudo said. ``You aren't paying for the tuition or the books for one or two years of college.''

`GOOD NERVOUS'

Students starting at the Academy for Advanced Academics on Monday say they are a little bit nervous but mostly excited.

``We're all nervous, but it's a good kind of nervous,'' said Dilia, who will also stay active at Ferguson Senior High. ``I mean, we don't really know what college is like yet.''

Tiffany Jeanite, 15, hopes the program will help her get to her dream school: Harvard University.

``It's an amazing opportunity,'' said Tiffany, who attended Reagan Senior High. ``I just couldn't pass it up.''

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