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Taking College Classes as a High School Student

My running start on making a difference.

By Katelyn HuntPublished 3 years ago 3 min read
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Taking College Classes as a High School Student
Photo by Josefa nDiaz on Unsplash

High school is often seen as the pre-game warm-up to your next step in the “real world”, whether that be college, a trade school, the military, or a steady job. But that is not the case for everybody—certainly not for me. I am a high school student taking college classes, and while it is coming to be more common, it is nothing to take lightly. You must prepare yourself mentally and physically like never before, including a strategic sleep schedule and time to relax, even though these things are often put on the back burner. There are many pros and cons of being a college credit plus student, but any cons that come their way are often overpowered with the results: going into the world with a head start and being able to make a difference more rapidly.

The vast number of pros that go along with taking college classes early could not be discussed in this paper alone, but the general takeaways are relatively clear. First of all, you can cut the time it takes to get your bachelor’s degree in half. I will be able to graduate with a full bachelor’s degree when I am around 21 years old—if you don’t know, that’s a big deal. And on top of that, the majority of the time it is free! Taking these classes could spare you the expenses throughout the first two years of your college career. Another pro is the fact that you are nearly completely independent, much unlike regular high school students. You are trusted to get your work done, and help will be provided by the professor if something does not add up. Overall, the pros of being a college credit plus student are innumerable—not to mention the experience and preparation you get along with it.

By Thought Catalog on Unsplash

As it is with most things, some cons go along with being a college credit plus student. While you are getting a semi-college experience (even more so if you are attending classes on campus), you are also losing the chance of having a normal high school experience. You remain a part of your high school, meaning that dances and other events are open to you, but if you don’t take any other classes there, you can begin to feel a bit disconnected. A way to avoid this is by having lunch with your fellow high schoolers or thinking about where this will lead you in the future—and look at the evidence, it will be worth it. In addition, there is the expected dread that college classes are a considerably heavier and harder workload. More is expected of you, and if you do not meet that par, the results are not pleasurable. However, if you can keep yourself organized, on top of things, and prioritized, the workload should not overwhelm you as much as you fear. In summary, the cons of being a young college student are intimidating but can be conquered.

In the end, there are two main reasons that I am taking college classes as a sophomore in high school: to learn and to make an impact. As stated before, I will graduate with a bachelor’s degree up to a couple of years before my classmates, granting me the opportunity to go out and find a steady job that I am passionate towards. Whether I choose something in the marketing or business fields, work for a publishing company, or anything else one could think of, I will have a head start of making my dreams come true—a head start on being the change I want to see in the world.

By Pang Yuhao on Unsplash

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About the Creator

Katelyn Hunt

Christian YA Author | WIP: The Genesis Project (TPG) | Science Fiction and Fantasy | INFJ-T

"Not all those who wander are lost." ~J. R. R. Tolkien

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