Cost conscious students and families are choosing to do Running Start before attending a university while at the same time receiving a college level education.
“I chose to do running start because I thought it’d be a great opportunity to jump start my college career and a good way to earn college credit while my high school was paying for it,” said Molly Mcneill, 20.
Running Start is a program for high school students offered by most community and technical colleges. It provides students with a college education at no cost to them apart from purchasing books and extraneous class fees.
“Running Start is free college, free is good for us,” said Laurie Patrick. “We only have to pay for books and any class fees as long as my kids take between 12 to 17 credits.”
Mother of two, Patrick understands the need for saving money. Running Start has allowed her the ability to give her children a college education and save thousands of dollars.
“I am graduating this May and have only been at WSU for three years, by not having to pay for a full four years saves both myself and parents over $8,000 in tuition costs,” said Courtney Moorhead, 21.
Both Moorhead and Mcneill will be graduating early from WSU. However, Mcneill says she wishes should would have done Running Start earlier like Moorhead did, allowing her to graduate a full year before her peers.
“My advice for Juniors and Seniors in high school is to pursue Running Start. If I could do it again I’d do both my junior and senior year,” said Mcneill who will be graduating a semester early. “It gives you so many more opportunities and prepares you for college without the stress of being away from home.”
Although this program is not right for everyone, students who have enrolled are happy with their decisions. Not only is registering simple, the professor’s make an effort to help their high school students.
“All and all I think the online registration is easy, our professors have been very helpful and willing to meet with my kids, and the class sizes are small, which is geat,” said Patrick.
For Moorhead and Mcneill, their Running Start experience has proven valuable. In June, Moorhead will be moving to New York for a job in the Public Relations department of Kenneth Cole Design consultants. After Mcneill graduates in December, she will be working as a secretary at Commercial Structures Inc. in Bellevue, WA until she finds a position at a Public Relations firm.
“The transition from Bellevue Community College to WSU was so much easier because I wasn’t afraid,” said Mcneill. “I plan to take the knowledge I have acquired from my time doing Running Start and being in Pullman and apply it toward a career at a PR form working with major league sports.”
Although some Running Start students have not yet determined their career path, it is a great way to give you a boost in the workforce. However, a consistent issue was the clarity of the requirements.
“I wish the counselor’s would have told me that I need to have a plan and exactly which classes I need to take in order to receive my AA degree,” said Moorhead.
In agreement with her, Patrick and Mcneill both said they wished the counselor’s would have been more specific in prerequisites of classes they would eventually need to take.
“Regardless of a lack of communication, I would encourage everyone to do Running Start and I would do it again. I feel prepared to enter the work force earlier than my peers because I have been working in a more mature academic environment for a year longer than them, and not to mention I am ready to get out of Pullman,” said Moorhead.
Contact Information:
Courtney Moorhead 425.922.3545 courtney.moorhead@email.wsu.edu
Molly Mcneill 425.442.0223 molly.mcneill@email.wsu.edu
Laurie Patrick 206.819.9810 toddlaurie@comcast.net
Outline:
I. How Running Start saves money
II. Why people chose to do it
III. Pros and Cons
IV. Encourage people to do it/Conclusion
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