Early college programs are not just a way to complete a higher degree more quickly. Students enrolled in such programs also reap other benefits. In many high schools that offer early college programs, 90% of students go on to further college education. Here are five benefits that most high school students see from enrolling in an early college program.
1. Increased Confidence in Their Own Success
Enrolling in an early college program can be a huge morale booster, particularly when they see how they can succeed — and even thrive — in a university environment. Some students, especially first-generation college attendees (i.e., those who do not have other family members who have attended college) and those from underrepresented demographics, feel less daunted once they see that they can overcome their pasts to excel in higher-education curricula. Such confidence is often all that is needed to increase their chance at academic success.
2. Savings on College Costs
Because early college programs offer the chance to earn college credit, students get a jumpstart on graduation requirements. Fewer credits taken in college means lower tuition — and potentially lower student loan debt. And because tuition costs are often a deterrent to attending college at all, the lower cost makes higher education more accessible to many who might not otherwise be able to afford it.
3. Applicability to Real-World Jobs
Most early college programs are geared toward training students for future careers, specifically those in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) fields. Many programs even offer internships — an opportunity traditionally given only to college students — providing students with hands-on experience. When students can see the practicality in what they are learning, as well as how this relates to their future jobs, they are more engaged in their courses, leading to greater success.
4. Learning Life Skills
In addition to teaching the knowledge required in a particular career field, early college programs provide the opportunity to acquire real-life know-how, such as time management, communication with colleagues, decision-making, and self-awareness. Such skills can be crucial in a student’s success, both in college and in their post-degree careers.
5. Forging Relationships
Almost all early college programs take advantage of the high school’s relationship with a university to bring in current college students as mentors. Seeing the success of their college-age peers can instill further confidence in high school students, while having a mentor provides a transition from the secure bubble of high school to independent college life. Students can also build relationships with professors and other college staff before they head off to college full-time. Plus, classmates from the early college program will very likely join them in the next phase of their educational career. Having such connections can help quell anxieties about venturing out of the nest and off on their academic journey.