How Early College Programs Help High Schoolers Prepare for Higher Education
Early College Program give high school students a head start to gain confidence and skills by balancing high school and college coursework.
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For many students in high school, preparing for college becomes overwhelming, but early colleges give them a huge lead. Since early college programs target those in their junior and senior year, this enables them to accumulate credit hours both at the college level and high school as an opportunity to get a hands-on feel of campus life while making informed decisions in all their future education processes.
Through Early College Programs, students will get an opportunity to sample college-level work. With access to real college classes, the student gains knowledge that will be compatible with their interests or capabilities. Students often even report feeling better prepared for college life after completing such programs.
How to Get a Head Start in College
Some Hawaii high school students just got a first-hand view of what college life feels like through Chaminade University's Early College Summit. According to Hawaii News Now, the event is open for juniors and seniors, as it gives the participants an exposure to being in college at least for one day.
For those undecided, these programs can help make a decision about whether college is the right place for them and what they want to pursue.
Chaminade University President Dr. Lynn Babington stated because it prepares students academically so they can smoothly transition into higher education, they also get to save time and money usually spent on the buffer between high school and higher education.
Beyond the academic credits, participation in an Early College Program helps students develop critical life skills like critical thinking, time management, and other college skills at an early stage.
As a result, students can even develop confidence in their ability to thrive in a college environment, which minimizes the anxiety that usually accompanies the transition to higher education.
All crucial benefits of these programs cannot be overlooked. Early completion of general education or introductory courses can also shorten the time needed to graduate, saving students money on tuition and getting them into the workforce sooner.
At the same time, they also gain personal growth by interacting with fellow students and professors, similar to the Mentor U program reported by University Herald.
