Many think that taking college courses early is for prodigies and teenage geniuses. What most people do not realize is that anyone can take a college class. Taking a college class early is called “dual courses.” First courses are through high school, and second are through the college. Many schools encourage students and work with colleges to have dual courses integrated into the school. Unfortunately, they are not promoted very well.
Many think that taking college courses early is for prodigies and teenage geniuses. What most people do not realize is that anyone can take a college class. Taking a college class early is called “dual courses.” First courses are through high school, and second are through the college. Many schools encourage students and work with colleges to have dual courses integrated into the school. Unfortunately, they are not promoted very well.
I had no idea students could take college classes early until junior year. “What an appealing idea,” I thought. Being able to see what college is like early? That could majorly affect the structure of your future. The benefits are incredible and vast. Not only are you getting to see what a college class is like—you get the feel of the workload. You also start practicing fast note taking during lectures. It helps teach you how to manage time, avoid procrastination and cramming sessions. It can improve your college GPA, as grades counted from high school affect your GPA in college. Units taken in high school also carry over to college, saving you time and reducing stress later on. The courses really do count, which means you can save yourself thousands of dollars.
The courses integrated with high schools, and colleges that work with dual courses often offer large to complete scholarships. It is better to take a college class in high school for free, rather than waiting till you are in college when each class can be a monetary strain.
In taking college courses early, you also gain valuable knowledge. High school skims quite a lot of things because the curriculum is often large. College classes allow you to get a deeper understanding of the course subject.
Taking these courses will also make you look significantly better on college applications. Taking a college class early shows initiative, and tells the colleges that you have a better idea of what you are going into than the average student. Mesa community college in Clairemont has extensive and easy to take classes for high school students. If your school does not work with a college, call the college yourself and see about enrolling. It is much easier than most would think. If your school hosts the lectures, you will be working alongside other students that are going through the same work, allowing you to collaborate and help each other. If you are instead going to a college for the class, you will get to see how real college students deal with the workload, providing a great window into what life will be like. If you are interested in going to a community college for classes, contact your college adviser, or call the school up. They should be able to give you the information you need to get started.
Jordan Craig is a student at High Tech High International in Point Loma and a resident of El Cajon.
