I’m happy to share this story written by our summer intern Naomi. Naomi is attending UC Davis and graduated from her homeschool with 50 carefully planned college credits. As a result, Naomi expects her undergrad degree will be shortened by over 1 year, and the cost savings will allow her to pursue her dream of a Master’s in Library Science.
By HS4CC Intern, Naomi Pond
When I took my first dual enrollment course the summer before eleventh grade, I had no idea what to expect. Interrupted by COVID, I had not taken an in-person class since middle school, and I felt a little nervous to step into a college classroom for the first time.
Luckily, following the HS4CC recommendation to begin with a high-interest ‘spark’ class—Introduction to Theatre—gave me enough enthusiasm to counter my anxiety. While the classroom experience was a little difficult to adjust to, I pushed through, making an effort to speak up in class, connect with my professor, and do my best on every assignment. By the end of the second week, I was already disappointed that the course was condensed for the summer, wishing that it could have lasted the full sixteen-week semester.
My positive experience with Intro to Theatre made me eager to work dual enrollment into my schedule for the rest of high school. After a discussion with my community college’s dual enrollment counselor, I learned about the IGETC certification (now called Cal-GETC), a California-specific series of classes covering most general education requirements. Its list of eleven classes felt a little intimidating at first. However, I was happy to learn that I already had a few checked off—along with Introduction to Theatre, the ASU psychology course I’d taken that same summer fulfilled the social science requirement, and my AP Language and Composition score from the previous year counted as the lower-level English.
I started with just one in-person dual enrollment class at a time, often along with a self-paced ASU course, as I learned how to stay on top of the workload. By spring of senior year, though, I felt confident managing a busy schedule of three to four courses. Through careful planning and a combination of courses from three California community colleges, the ASU Universal Learning program, and some APs, I managed to complete all of the IGETC requirements—and some major-related classes—in just two years.
Keeping the credits I’d earned in mind, I chose to attend UC Davis, where I will likely be able to transfer in over eighty of their units. My IGETC certification will also allow me to skip the majority of the general education requirements, along with some lower-division major classes. Without the pressure of a long list of gen eds to complete, I will be free to focus on my sociology major and minors in professional writing and museum studies, exploring the classes that interest me rather than repeating subjects I’ve already taken in high school. Not only that, dual enrollment credit will allow me to graduate at least a year early, saving money and time for my planned master’s degree in library and information science.
Beyond the academic and financial benefits, earning early college credit has also given me a chance to improve my study skills. Over the past few years, I’ve slowly improved my planning and scheduling, perfecting to-do lists in my planner to ensure that I never miss an assignment. Dual enrollment and AP exams have also given me much-needed practice with in-person testing, though I of course still find it a little stressful. Still, from time management to tests, I have grown confident in my ability to succeed at college in ways I likely never could have otherwise.
Based on my experience with dual enrollment, I cannot recommend enough that your child begin to earn college credit while in high school. I had no idea that opportunities like these were available to me as a homeschooler, but similar early college programs exist all across the country. Taking even a couple of classes can result in financial benefits and in-person classroom experiences that are sure to set your student up for long-term success.
