Opportunity to Get Ahead by Hannah

Opportunity to Get Ahead by Hannah - November 2020 Scholarship Essay

In a world that is constantly moving, any opportunity to get ahead is something to seriously consider, if not take. I was given the chance to begin taking dual credit courses at a community college and I am so glad I took that chance. I am a homeschooled student and the Homeschool Dual Credit Program I entered has helped validate my education during the college application process and because of this program, I am entering my freshman year of college with the same amount of hours many people have going into their junior year.
Choosing to homeschool was a big change for my family. My siblings and I had been students at the private school where my mom worked for a couple of years, but my parents decided homeschooling was the best step for our education. We have been completing our education at home for the past 7 years, and the Dual Credit Program has been a big help in showing other institutions that we really are learning as much, if not more, as our peers in public and private schools. I joined the program my sophomore year of high school and have been able to get credit for both high school and college with each course I took through the program. When I applied to the university of my choice, the fact that I had done well in college level courses for the past three years was a major factor in my admissions process because I have not been able to take the SAT or ACT due to the ongoing pandemic. With the absence of test scores, my community college transcript showed my future university I am capable of succeeding in higher level material and gave them a sense of where I was in my journey of education.
Many students are able to enter college with AP scores that replace some of their common core classes. Thanks to the Homeschool Dual Credit Program I am entering college with a majority of my common core completed, as well as several courses required for my major and minor. I would have had to take more classes at the more expensive university if I had not been a part of this program where the state covered tuition for Dual Credit students. I am now ahead of many people my age and am well on my way to earning at least my Bachelor's, if not my Master's degree, and I have not even finished high school at this point.
Without this program, my future would not look as bright as it does today. I would most likely have had to go to a less expensive university for my Bachelor's degree, and would not have been able to even consider getting my Master's degree. This program put me ahead and now I will be able to stay ahead and pursue my dreams without worrying as much about my college education. I could not be more grateful for this program and for my parents who encouraged me to try it.