I was only thirteen when I made one of the biggest decisions in my life, though it didn’t feel like that at the time. I chose to attend a middle college high school, which is a high school that partners with a community college to allow students to take college classes in high school. Unlike the AP curriculum, which can sometimes convert to lower-division college credits, community colleges offer full college classes that directly and easily transfer as the same type of class at most public universities.
I had always felt like this was the perfect opportunity, so I was surprised to learn that many of my peers had struggled to decide whether to attend our middle college– and some of my friends even ended up choosing against it and going to traditional high schools. While it is definitely a decision to make with careful consideration, I’ve found that the benefits of attending a middle college have been invaluable to my adult life so far.
Middle College vs. Traditional High School
An understandable worry some parents have is that their kids won’t be able to fully enjoy their youth from the stress of being enrolled in both high school and college at once. Honestly, though, this is a challenge any student on an academically rigorous path faces, even if they’re taking AP or honors classes instead of community college. While I did have times where I felt burned out, my friends at traditional high schools faced the exact same thing. Learning to find a work-life balance is always challenging at first.
Middle colleges also typically work better than attending a traditional high school and independently enrolling in community college, because at a middle college you’re expected to take college courses, so your high school workload is adjusted to be lighter. However, it is important to note that unlike high school grades, community college grades stay with you for life. I wouldn’t recommend anyone to send their child to a middle college if the child themself doesn’t want to do it– because it may hurt them more than help at the end of the day.
Gaining Academic & Life Experiences
I loved the environment at both my high school and the community college. In my high school classes, I was surrounded by peers who were all hardworking and passionate about learning, and we were able to navigate our college classes together. In my community college classes, there would typically be a couple other high school students, but I was mainly interacting with people of a wide range of ages and backgrounds. My older classmates were always happy to share their experiences with me, and I was inspired by how much I was able to learn from them.
Taking community college classes before enrolling in a traditional university definitely helped me adjust to the college environment as well. It’s a sudden adjustment for many college freshmen to be in large classes, be fully responsible for keeping up with a rapid curriculum, and to only get interaction with professors if they take initiative for it. I was also aware of opportunities like research labs and office hours because I had already learned about them from community college professors. I felt a lot more comfortable in my first quarter than many of my peers because I had already gotten a sample of what it would feel like.
The Freedom of Saving Money & Time
The biggest reason I wanted to attend a middle college was to save money and time on my education. It’s no secret that university can be very expensive. As someone who was always raised to be conscious with my money, I wanted to do what I could to reduce the financial stress on my family when I did start undergrad. My community college classes over the four years of high school only cost me a few hundred dollars in total.
It was also enough time for me to earn my associates degree, allowing me to graduate from UCR in two years instead of four. I know this can be a point of contention if someone wants to experience the full time of college, but nothing is forcing you to graduate early even if you’re able to. I have plenty of friends who earned their associates degrees and still decided to stay in college for four years, and their credits mean they are able to take less classes, easily double major and minor, and have a more laid-back experience overall.
I personally am grateful for the extra years I’ll have from graduating early, as I’ll be able to work full-time and also just do more things I enjoy before applying to professional school.
In the end, it’s your choice
Most teenagers don’t have a strong idea of what they want their life to look like, and this is completely normal! Whether you want to get ahead in your education or take it easier for a while, know that there is no set path for success. Nothing is ever the last opportunity you’ll have, so do what feels true to yourself in the moment– the rest will always work out in the end.