Benefits of Early College Classes

To take early classes or to not?

 

Having classes at Northern Essex Community College is a great convenience for many upperclassmen at Pentucket.  It allows them to receive dual enrollment credit to get a head start, with basic courses.  Though it is helpful, there can be problems with students who have conflicting schedules with the time of the classes, which through the program are on Monday nights from 6-8:45pm.

 

There are over thirty students from Pentucket, Newburyport, and Whittier High Schools that are in the NECC program, and many have extracurriculars or work right before the class. Some people take other classes that are not involved in the program that they have to pay for.  

 

Senior Alyssa Mostyn said, “I hope to take advantage of the benefits, because I do not want to take another math class in college.”  Taking other classes at NECC has given her the chance to explore different subjects, like many other people are doing.  The downside to taking classes not part of the program is that some are 6-9:45pm.

 

A lot of students from Pentucket are also doing all of their class requirements for senior year at NECC, and are still allowed to participate in school activities and graduate with their class.

 

Senior Angela Patriakeas says that “free college for state schools” is very appealing to her to help save money and eliminate the classes that we all have to take in our freshman year.  More and more schools are also starting to offer credit for Dual Enrollment classes, seeing that it has a growing popularity.

 

Senior Erin Gibbons, who goes to Whittier, said, “I think it is a good thing, and you can meet people other than those from your school community.”  Having classes with people from other school districts gives you another way to interact with other people in different ways from sports or other extracurriculars.

 

Taking NECC classes has helped people gain different strategies to balance their workload, but it is a juggle to sometimes complete it in time.  See for yourself, and take advantage of the early college program.