Early College gave me the confidence and the head start I needed to succeed in college.
Without Early College, I would not be where I am today. At Turners Falls High School, our Early College partnership with Greenfield Community College allowed us to take college-level courses while still in high school. My Early College experience enabled me to not only find a career path that will bring me joy but also provided me with the tools I need in order to help advocate for those around me. Without that pipeline, I would not be in a position where I could eventually support myself or my family financially. Early College enables students to unlock a treasure trove of opportunities through its mission of supporting and motivating students to reach their full potential.
Early College access should be expanded to many more students in Massachusetts. In my experience, Early College allowed me to transition into college at no financial cost. I was able to save time and money before matriculating because Early College pays for the college credits students receive while in high school. I earned over 15 credits, saving me almost an entire academic year. Early College helped reduce the burden of student loans for me and my peers at Greenfield Community College. While there, I had the opportunity to explore various career paths and utilize the on-campus resources. Without these resources, I do not think my Early College (or college) experience would have been so successful.
I am passionate about expanding Early College to help students like myself. I have witnessed many Early College students become more enthusiastic learners, evolve into leaders, and find a passion for wanting to go out and improve their communities. On the other hand, I have watched students who weren’t in Early College miss out on amazing opportunities to start their college journey because they did not have the academic or financial support they deserved in order to be successful. Personally, I never would have believed that college was possible for me, or even worth pursuing after graduating from high school. Early College encouraged me to continue learning, not only to gain more economic stability or job opportunities, but also because I truly loved it. I loved the academic challenge of the college-level classes, and the support the program offered helped me thrive, encouraging me to become a leader on campus. In conclusion, I truly believe that when students are given access to something as wonderful as Early College, they can achieve great things.
Early College access should be expanded because it benefits students as well as their communities. Education is the key to economic growth and financial independence. Thanks to Early College, I exude the confidence that I have today. My hope is that, through my story, I can show how Early College positively impacted me and how it has the potential to positively impact the lives of other students across the commonwealth.
Hannah Graves is a former Early College student at Greenfield Community College and McNair Scholar/ECPF Fellow at Suffolk University.