A growing trend for high school students is to take college-level courses at their local junior college during their junior and senior years of high school. This provides a great opportunity for students to get a jumpstart on their college-level general education requirements. Generally, students take mainly general education classes such as math, English, and science during their first two years of college. Getting these classes out of the way early can provide any student with a solid foundation.
While I would not recommend doubling up on classes for those students who are already struggling to keep up with their regular high school classes, I would highly recommend it for those students who are up for the challenge. There are several good reasons for this.
First of all, many junior colleges offer high school students free registration for classes they take during their last two years of high school. Most parents would gladly welcome this type of financial help. Some high schools even offer college level classes on the high school campus. The campus where I teach at offers a few college classes right on our campus. The classes are offered several days a week after school and provides both college credit as well as high school elective credit.
Secondly, it helps students get off to a great start with their college classes. If taken seriously, students can actually graduate from high school with their first year of college completely finished. What high school student (or their parent) wouldn’t love that?
Finally, this can help students ease into college life. By taking college classes during their high school years, students gain a better understanding of what college is like as well as the responsibility that goes along with it. While this opportunity may not be for everyone, it is a wonderful opportunity for those motivated students who would like to get a jumpstart on their college education.
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