This story was written by our 11th-grade Homeschooling for College Credit summer intern, Elisha. Over this past summer, Elisha worked on the team that updated many of our valuable Homeschooling for College Credit resources. I asked each intern to share their experiences with being homeschooled and earning college credit. I know you’ll enjoy her story.
Happy Story: How I explored, discovered, and delved into my interests with Dual Enrollment
By HS4CC Summer Intern Elisha Lee
Stuck. Completely and totally stuck.
That’s how I felt at the beginning of my freshman year. What could possibly be wrong? I was a diligent, motivated student; I was involved in numerous extracurriculars, including swim team and orchestra; I had caring friends and a supportive family. From the outside, I appeared to be more than prepared to begin the next four years of high school. But on the inside, I believed I had one fatal shortcoming: I had absolutely no idea what I wanted to do when I grew up. It was as if all my peers had a game plan for life except me, and that thought terrified me. But how could a naive 14-year-old who was still getting to know herself decide what she wanted to do for the rest of her life? I had plenty of casual interests, but most of them weren’t realistic career paths. How could I find my real interests?
Exploration: Exploring career fields through DE classes
The answer to my predicament? Dual Enrollment. Although I had taken several online dual enrollment courses in middle school as part of my language studies, I hadn’t considered utilizing dual enrollment as a way to explore potential careers. So, following HS4CC’s recommendation to intentionally plan a mix of college credits that would meet high school requirements and demonstrate academic rigor during the Growth Stage, my parents and I sat down and mapped out a plan. After much research and consideration, we created a semester-by-semester schedule where each dual enrollment class served a dual purpose: introducing me to different career fields and fulfilling parts of the Texas Core Curriculum (a list of general education courses that can be transferred to a four-year public university) required for an Associate of Science degree.
Discovery: Biology, Nutrition, Anatomy & Physiology
Over the next few years, I took a wide range of DE classes, including Programming Fundamentals, Nutrition, and Statistics, alongside my high school and AP courses. I approached each class with an open mind, reminding myself that I couldn’t know whether something would spark my interest if I didn’t give it a chance. I had been “stuck” before because I shut out possibilities, judging the proverbial book by its cover and thinking, I would never want to do that!
Eventually, my efforts paid off. I was intrigued by Biology, I loved the practical information in Nutrition, and my most memorable class was Anatomy and Physiology. None of these courses were easy, but I thrived on the challenge—whether it was learning the differences between mitosis and meiosis or memorizing the entire skeletal system in a week. I realized that this was a field I could study for years and still find fascinating. A hospital shadowing experience later confirmed it: the world of health and science was where I belonged. Even though I had accrued more than enough credits by the end of my sophomore year to graduate early, my decision to stay in high school for the full four years gives me time to explore colleges, pathways, and specialties within the broad field of health so I can confidently focus on my future pursuits.
Epilogue: Associate degree, college, and beyond
With all the Dual Enrollment classes I took, I am on track to earn my Associate of Science by my senior year. Besides this, I have also earned AP credits in U.S. History, Biology, Chemistry, and English, plus more this coming year. With these credits under my belt, I hope to major in Violin Performance while completing pre-med requirements, and I also plan to add a minor in Arabic Language (remember those language studies I mentioned?).
Taking Dual Enrollment and AP classes as a homeschool high school student has prepared me well for college and beyond. As an online student, time management is essential. I have learned to balance school, extracurriculars, and a part-time job—an ability that will be crucial in college.
To the students and parents reading this, if you’re feeling a bit “stuck” right now, don’t stress over it! Exploration can be messy, and rushing through it usually makes it messier. Try new things, talk to people about their experiences, and take advantage of the resources available to you–including Homeschooling for College Credit. Not everyone’s calling is immediately obvious, and pathways are not always linear. My hope is that this story encourages you to keep persevering and keep exploring so that you can be ready to pursue your future with confidence!
