Graduate High School With An Associate’s Degree

Do you want to jumpstart your college career while in high school but don’t know where to start? Are you looking for ways to save money on college tuition? Are you breezing through your high school work?

Luckily, there are programs designed for students like you!

How to Graduate High School With an Associate’s Degree

For some of you, this might be a novel idea. I can graduate high school with an associate’s degree? Why yes, you can! The College Launch Program through Grace College allows students beginning their junior year of high school to take college courses and graduate with an associate’s degree when they receive their high school diploma.

Through the program, you’ll complete Grace Core courses such as Consumer Economics; Public Speaking in Society; Faith, Science, and Reason; and Global Perspectives. By knocking out these courses in high school, you won’t have to take them as a freshman at Grace, so you’ll be free to dive into your major-specific courses.  

You’ll enroll in two courses each seven-week session, eventually completing 12 credit hours per semester! Qualified students will be able to graduate college early because of the jumpstart they took in high school! 

Laura Beth’s Experience with College Launch

Laura Beth Vanderbur of Greensburg, Indiana, recently graduated high school with an associate’s degree from Grace College.

As a junior in high school, she felt uncertain about enrolling. Would graduating high school with an associate’s degree be worth it? Would it be challenging? And how would she balance the program with her other high school commitments? 

But through talking with her parents and teachers, Vanderbur saw the great opportunity at hand.

“I knew if I participated in the program, I would graduate high school with an associate’s degree,” said Vanderbur. “But even more than that, I’d have a sense of accomplishment and an understanding that I can do hard things.”

According to Vanderbur, partaking in this program requires strong organizational and time management skills. 

“Managing high school classes and college classes was not always easy,” Vanderbur said. 

As Vanderbur progressed through the program and the classes became more difficult, she felt overwhelmed at times. 

“The program helped Laura Beth learn how to balance priorities and overcome obstacles,” said Sara Vanderbur, Vanderbur’s mother. “While it took a lot of hard work, we are very thankful for the opportunity Laura Beth had to graduate high school with her associate’s degree.”

Despite the challenge, Vanderbur was able to finish the program strong with the help of her support system and organized calendar.

 “Getting through that rough patch allowed me to grow and learn new things, both academically and personally,” Vanderbur reflected.

Looking back on the program, Vanderbur recalls that her favorite class was Creative Arts and Culture with Professor Scott Workman.

“I was able to visit local art museums and watch concerts at nearby orchestras,” said Vanderbur. “These experiences helped me appreciate the art and culture near my home. The assignments were challenging yet fun. I was able to express my creative side and enjoy the creativity of my classmates.”

She also appreciates the way the class tied art and culture to the Creator’s beauty and how Christ inspires His people as artists. 

Is Getting an Associate’s Degree in High School Worth It? 

College Launch students, such as Vanderbur, enter college with significant academic advantages and cost savings. A few of the benefits include: 

• Earning an affordable college degree from an accredited college
• Maximizing your high school and college experiences
• Tackling fundamental courses so you can dive into your major classes in college 
• Developing time management and organizational skills that will serve you in college and life

Vanderbur plans to attend Grace this fall, and thanks to the associate’s program, she will dive immediately into her major courses with the confidence that she can successfully manage a college course load.

“Now that I have completed the program and seen the benefits and growth it has brought me, I would say this program is absolutely worth it,” she said. 

Visit the link to learn more about how to graduate high school with an associate’s degree. And if you’re ready to get started, apply today!