Hey, what’s the big rush? College can wait, right? But more and more students aren’t waiting. They’re picking up college credits now.
Here’s why:
- Save time. Credits you earn in high school, you don’t have to earn in college. Pass a couple AP exams in high school and whamo — your first year college course load just went from a hefty five to a manageable four. And you’re so well prepared that you get to skip those remedial classes too. Use your extra time to take a job, land an internship or just lighten up so you can enjoy college.
- Find yourself. Get some of your college requirements out of the way in high school and you’ll have more freedom to explore the courses that really interest you in college. You’ll buy yourself more time to figure out what you want to do and more space to change your direction if you need to.
- Save a year of your life. A college bachelor’s degree used to be a four-year project. Now five is more common as people spin their wheels making up for what they missed in high school and changing their majors at the last minute. But not for you. How will you use your extra year? Travel the world, volunteer for a worthy cause, get a graduate degree or start pulling in a salary while others are still pulling in student loans.
- Save your money. Credits don’t cost as much now when you’re still living at home and your high school may be able to pay for them. Maybe you just found a way to pay for that dream car after all.
- Keep up with your classmates. You’ll have an easier time staying ahead in class when you’re one of the students who has already done college level work.
- Avoid dropping out. Students who start taking college level work in high school are less likely to drop out when they get there.