SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
Your Guide to High School Your Guide to Acceleration High School Acceleration
EDUCATION
By Amanda Sterk, Ed.D.
High school students have great opportunities to obtain free college credits even before graduating high school! Today, Florida provides many opportunities for students to accelerate their learning through various high school programming. Earning college credit in high school is beneficial for multiple reasons.
Career Focus Time Savings In Florida, it was found that less than 67 percent of Florida college students graduate in six years, according to the Florida Board of Governor’s Accountability Rate. While not widely discussed, college is taking longer to get through as students change their degrees, have trouble meeting prerequisites, or enter programs that change their requirements. Having a student be able to focus on the generalized core courses or electives to determine their major, these credits can save students a substantial amount of time and stress.
Rigor & Independence Acceleration courses allow students to be treated as college-students. Students learn to better navigate the academic skills, such as time management, study skills, test preparation, and note taking, to be a more successful student. Having both rigor and independence can be
The college course work allows students to see how they might enjoy specific career fields. Advanced lab reports, research, hands-on projects, and indepth teaching provides more opportunities for exploration into various career fields. DualEnrollment often offers industry certifications that can be directly employable after high school or with additional semester or two.
Cost Savings School districts often pick up the tab for tuition and books. Sometimes there are some small fees, but at a fraction of the cost what a student would pay after graduating high school, including room and board, tuition, fees, books, and other expenses.
Smaller Classes Taking these courses in high school or on a state college's campus guarantees small numbers and more personalized attention.
highly motivating for students to excel.
Amanda Sterk, Ed.D., is the director of Accelerated Programs at Florida Southwestern State College, where she works with students, parents, school counselors, and school districts to understand and participate in accelerated learning programs in SW Florida. She is the founder of Unmaze.me, an online resource for colleges admissions, scholarships, and financial planning, and is the author of College UnMazed: Your Guide to the Florida College and University System, from which the information on pages 32-33 is taken. The book is available both on Unmaze.me and Amazon.com. 32
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NEAPOLITANfamily • February 2020
