If you had been given the chance to get out of high school early, would you have taken it? I did. My school district took part in the Accelerate Program for the first time this year, and my friends and I were the guinea pigs. We skipped our senior year of high school and went straight to our first year of college. This was probably one of the most intimidating decisions I’ve ever had to make. Leaving all my friends in high school and moving to harder classes in an unfamiliar environment on my own was incredibly difficult, but I knew the benefits would outweigh the negatives. Free tuition and college credits a year early was just something I could not pass up.

There’s a certain disconnect, though. While I’m still technically a high school senior, I spend maybe 45 minutes a week in high school. I haven’t graduated yet, but I’m in college full time. I went to homecoming this year, and I hung out with people I hadn’t seen all semester. Balancing high school and college is not an easy task. I’m constantly trying to manage my lives between the two. Keeping up with both high school friends and college friends has proven to be a challenge. However, that doesn’t negate the fact that I love the decision I’ve made. I’ve met so many new people this semester who have influenced me in some shape or form that I would have never spoken to in high school, both outside of the Accelerate Program and within.

Being a pilot program, there are a lot of issues surrounding the Accelerate College. Besides the general difficulties of the disconnect between college and high school social life, I’ve also found trouble managing high school responsibilities versus college responsibilities. In high school, many things are done for you. Grades are posted online constantly, you see teachers every day, and attendance is taken every period. This is not me complaining about how I miss these things- I don’t. I spend all week being treated like an adult, and then I go back to my high school for a period on Fridays, and I’m scolded for not asking for a pass to use the restroom, or my counselor wants to check my grades. There is definitely a distinct difference on how I’m treated in high school versus college.

Overall, I don’t regret my decision to participate in the Accelerate Program. While it definitely has its flaws, the program has given me an opportunity I’ll forever be thankful for. I’ll never forget this experience, and I’m incredibly lucky to have been able to be a part of the Accelerate Program.