High School Vs Early College Essay

High school is a staple of American culture. Popular culture is littered with high school imagery: cheerleaders at the homecoming game, senior prom, and finally, graduation. It is a major time of growth for adolescents and serves as a stepping stone into the adult world, giving students the skills and experiences needed to be successful later in life. However our perception of high school and the ‘high school experience’ is rapidly changing as alternatives to traditional schooling appear. An excellent example of this is an emerging program commonly referred to as ‘early college high school’, a duel enrollment program that allows high school students to receive an associate’s degree while earning their high school diploma. These schools are focused on academics and therefore do not have organized sports and many extracurricular activities. However, what it lacks is made up by its many benefits and is an excellent choice for a student who is looking for an alternative style of education. For the average student, the biggest difference between an early college program and traditional high school is academics. An early college program is designed to allow students to acquire an associate’s degree while attaining …show more content…
Homecoming dances (or fall formals) happen every October, they have senior prom, pep rallies, and a normal graduation. Students stay after school and participate in clubs, there is student government and rotary, and students can choose to compete in academic UIL. Despite the glaring differences, the core concepts are the same. An early college program is still a place for adolescents to transition from their teenage years to young adulthood, a place for students to make friendships and memories, to fall in and out of love, to make mistakes and in the end, to start the process of finding