Being in college has certainly been an interesting experience for me. It has been full of high and lows like it is for any other student. I have made so many new friends and have grown up in a lot of ways since moving to college. I feel that my experience has been slightly different in some ways too because I was in a middle college program before I came to college. The experience has taught me so much, but there have also been a few downsides that I've noticed since starting out at a university.

There are many different middle colleges around North Carolina and they are becoming even more common than they were when I first started at mine 5 years ago. These programs give students the opportunity to complete actual college course while they are in high school. Most middle college, like mine, even give you the chance to stay for another year after you graduate your senior year to obtain your Associates Degree free of charge. It definitely takes more effort and time to keep up with the regular core high school classes and multiple college classes at the same time

I feel that my middle college experience has definitely been beneficial to my experience at a university. I was able to enter college with around fifty-eight college credits, which has put me ahead of some of the freshman at my school. It has put me closer to obtaining my Bachelor's Degree, which will either happen in the next year or two. I have also made so many friends that I still keep in touch with to this day, and that are still willing to help me if I need them because the people that I've met through the middle college truly are like family.

There are also a few downsides that I've noticed since moving into my university. During orientation, I feel that the experience just wasn't the same for me because I've heard the same kind of information over and over throughout the years. I also didn't get to start out with the easier general education classes like most freshman do because I was so far ahead already. I feel like if I had been able to start out with easier classes, it would have made my transition into university life much smoother because I wouldn't be dealing with the stress of higher level classes like I am now.

All in all, I feel that having been a middle college student, I was very prepared for classes at a university. The experience has given me many amazing friends and connections, that I believe will last for a long time. Middle Colleges are great programs to get into, and I'm very glad that I chose to do it. If you or someone you know is in high school, I would highly recommend looking into them because they are extremely beneficial.