Cousins Rylan Wilhite and Noah Johnson will celebrate their college graduation today a week before they graduate from high school at Humboldt.
Johnson and Wilhite earned just enough dual credits and college hours to qualify them to participate in Allen Community Colleges commencement ceremony at 10:30 a.m. today. Next Saturday, theyll graduate with the Class of 2018 at Humboldt High School.
Technically, theyre still shy of an associates degree but not by much. Johnson needs six credit hours; Wilhite needs 14.
Theyll quickly wrap up those few remaining credits. They both plan to attend the University of Kansas this fall, and will pursue bachelor of science degrees in biology. Each plans a career in the medical profession. Theyve signed an agreement with KU to allow the credits they earn there to count toward an associates degree at ACC.
So when everyone else gets their degrees sent out in the summer, well just get ours at the end of our first semester, Johnson said.
Its not easy to earn more than 50 hours of college credit during junior and senior years of high school. The material wasnt much more difficult, both Wilhite and Johnson said. But it takes a lot of time and effort, most of which was done outside high school. The cousins were able to take some dual credit classes while attending classes at HHS, which counted toward both high school and ACC graduation. But they also took night classes and online courses.
Were technically full-time students at Allen and at high school, Wilhite said. It takes a little more time because youre basically teaching yourself but I think its preparing us for the college experience.
Johnson agreed. By completing most of their general education classes while still in high school, theyll be able to focus on the science courses so essential to their bachelors degrees.
Since were both going into something with medicine, were going to have a large workload in that field, Johnson said.
Because of their GPAs, both qualified for ACCs Presidential scholarships that paid for nearly all the costs of their courses.
Basically, we had a free community college education in high school so its really beneficial, Johnson said.
That may not be the case for everyone, they said. The financial cost is the only disadvantage they see from taking so many college classes during high school. They likely would not have been able to do it without the scholarships, they said.
Both said they were glad they had the opportunity to earn an associates degree while still in high school.
It really helped. I know Ill be able to handle my classes, Wilhite said. Its giving us a head start.
I think its good our school offers this, Johnson said. Not only are they helping us through these four years prepare for the next level, but they let us take college classes in school. I didnt think Id be able to achieve it (earning an associates degree) but I was happily surprised.
