Dual enrollment is an excellent opportunity to get a taste of college classes before graduating high school. College Academy and early admitting are also methods to start college early, minus the high school experience.
High school, although perceived mainly negatively, encompasses four years of your life filled with moments that should not be missed. Friday night football games, pep rallies, spirit days, homecoming and prom are all part of the high school experience.
High school, although perceived mainly negatively, encompasses four years of your life filled with moments that should not be missed. Friday night football games, pep rallies, spirit days, homecoming and prom are all part of the high school experience.
Students are typically in a rush to leave high school, whether they graduate early, early admit, attend College Academy, or just feel miserable for all four years. Although it can be stressful at times, high school is rewarding, and in more ways than just academics.
Attending high school for four years allows for the making of lifelong friends and memories, as well as providing opportunities for personal growth in specific interests. Plus, ending high school is more satisfactory when graduating as a senior with the same people that you’ve been with for the past four years.
Although it can be stressful at times, high school is rewarding, and in more ways than just academics.
Investing time in school activities is a way to use school spirit to grow in the high school setting. Activities and clubs like DECA, Key Club, marching band, journalism, or math club all provide ways to flourish in the high school setting in a particular area. Alternatives to four years in high school (such as College Academy or early admitting) still have clubs that students participate in, but they aren’t as important to the function and growth of students as those in high school.
High school clubs are an integral part of students’ searches for their own interests and paths, especially as they are strongly encouraged. Once high school students find the club or activity they love, they can stick with it and eventually be a leader, developing leadership skills while participating in something they love. When students only go to high school for two or three years, they miss out on the opportunity to dedicate themselves to an activity, along with the missing out on potential friends made along the way.
When students only go to high school for two or three years, they miss out on the opportunity to dedicate themselves to an activity, along with the missing out on potential friends made along the way.
Some students attend high school for two years, and then College Academy for two. These students graduate with their AA, meaning they need just two more years of college to earn their Bachelor’s Degree. While this is a very proactive option, the time saved is just valuable time subtracted from the high school experience everyone should have.
There’s no rush to get through high school just for two fewer years of college. Indeed, these students may get full-time jobs before their high school classmates, but it will be insignificant when everyone has a full-time job. The difference will be that some enjoyed their four years of high school, attending prom, pep rallies, spirit week and football games, while others will never get those years back. High school is more than the surface-level stress that it can cause; it is an emotional rollercoaster that is worth the ride.
Photo by The Lariat photography
