Running Start, for those who don’t know, is a program for high school juniors and seniors to trade their high school classes for local college ones. As a new Running Start student who has just completed their first quarter at Edmonds College, I have some advice to give out to any students considering starting the program next year. There are a lot of common misnomers to address about Running Start, such as that if you’re in Running Start you can’t take any classes or club at the high school. While it is difficult to coordinate and requires you to have your own fast mode of transportation to and from the college, it is still possible as long as you can coordinate so the schedules won’t overlap(I, personally, only choose classes in the mornings which allows me to still dedicate my afternoons to journalism). Additionally, many think Running Start can give you either college or high school credits, but it actually gives you both, and with a full course you can earn around 9 high school credits a year.
When it comes to the work load, however, it was a massive shock compared to anything I’d experienced during high school. It was hardest in the first month and got easier after I adjusted to it, but I still find myself staying up until just a few hours before class starts finishing homework, even for basic intro classes. However, being able to choose from a much larger range of classes, I can choose work that interests and intrigues me. Not only that, but if you take two consecutive years of a full workload it’s even possible to get an Associates by the time you graduate high school. It has the opportunities to give you a jump start into your future, but doing so you can miss opportunities that only happen in high school–assembelies, school activities, little everyday things you’ll have to say goodbye to.
So, taking all of this into account, do the benefits outweigh the drawbacks? For me, yes. For you? I couldn’t possibly know. The decision to change your high school experience and sacrifice so much of it is one that can only be made by yourself. Because, in all honesty, Running Start can be lonely. I’ve been able to avoid really having this issue myself since I still go into journalism on a daily basis and see the community every day, but I’ve also had a close family member who went through the same program as me a few years and regarded it as being one of the hardest parts of Running Start which made the decision feel even more tense. Not being able to have a steady connection with peers who are the same age and going through the same things adds a serious toll to the program, but the program can also allow you to gain so many new experiences. You can focus on classes of a specific subject that you are interested in or are considering as a potential career, and can jumpstart your future. If you’re a current junior or sophomore who wants to learn more about Running Start, there’s a meeting on Feb. 12 which is mandatory for anyone who wants to go into the program this coming year.
