I was able to transfer about 33 college credits that I earned in high school to my university at the start of my freshman year. That equated to a full year’s worth of classes. Had I wanted to, those extra credits would have made it much easier for me to graduate early. I know many people who did decide to graduate early, but no part of me wanted to shorten what I had been told would be the best 4 years of my life. Even though I chose not to graduate early, those extra credits opened up other doors and paid off in many other ways for me. Here are 4 reasons every kid should take advantage of college credits in high school.

1.Its not college, but it’s like college

Nothing TRULY prepares you for college, but taking a course that is somewhat similar to college does help. Taking a college class while in a high school setting allows you to have a little bit more time with a teacher in a classroom than you will in college.
In college you will take the class 2 or 3 times a week, not every day. You most likely will have never met the teacher before, and they won’t continuously tell you when things are due. Instead, they will expect you to refer to the syllabus and stay on track without constant reminders. Teachers who teach college classes in high school often times treat you like high school students at the beginning of the course, and gradually start treating you more like a college student as weeks go by. Once I got to college I truly felt that I was much more prepared than many other students in my classes because I had experienced the rigors of college level expectations.

2.It allows for more options with majors and minors

Once I got the hang of real college classes, I realized I would be able to pick up a second major and a minor that I will easily be able to complete before graduating. Coming in with credits allows you to take more electives AND explore other options for classes you might excel in. Who knows, you might find something you want to do for the rest of your life if you aren’t stuck in History 100 (or whatever the basic math is you need for your core). Transferring credit in our freshman year may provide enough time for you to add a major or minor that will make you more well-rounded and employable. And, you are not burning credit hours. It helps you to get out of taking the 101 classes your freshman year and instead get into the classes that are focused towards your major right away.

3.It gets you out of core classes

I was able to get out of many core curriculum classes because they were equivalent with the college credit classes I took in high school. I was also able to get out of taking a science in a university setting by transferring in science credits. No chemistry for me! And, while my friends were suffering through research and writing, I was already jumping into my major classes.

4.The price can’t be beat

You won’t understand how cheap it is until you get to college and realize that the $180 per credit you paid in high school that seemed like a lot, is actually pocket change compared to the $1000-3000 per credit that you pay at a university.

While taking college level classes in high school may not have always been the most fun thing, and oftentimes I would have way more homework than my classmates who were taking “normal” classes, it was easily one of the best decisions I made in high school. I encourage all high school students who have the opportunity to take a college level class in a high school setting for credit, to take advantage of it.