My name is Bianca Banks. I am 18 years old with a high school diploma and Associate’s degree in Mass Communications.
I was able to obtain my Associate’s degree while in high school through the Dual Enrollment: Move On When Ready program. I was advised by my mother and high school counselor to do Dual Enrollment. I went to Maynard Jackson High School in Atlanta, Georgia and Atlanta Metropolitan State College. I was under the Alternate Graduation Plan, in which I was to complete two math, science, history, health, and english classes and obtain my Associate’s degree in order to receive my high school diploma.
Thinking about dual enrollment, I was skeptical because it felt like my junior and senior years were gone right before my eyes. I felt like I had to grow up faster and could not enjoy my entire high school experience. I enrolled at Atlanta Metropolitan State College Fall 2016, which was the beginning of my junior year of high school. I was afraid of being in college classes while technically only having a 10th grade education, but I knew I had to push myself to do something different and make my family proud. With me only being 16 and in college classes, made everything feel awkward. I was not in the normal high school loud, chaotic, and childish environment. Everyone in my classes were mature and that gave me the push to grow up and because I was the youngest, that put an even higher expectation on me.
In high school, there were a lot of people around that are breathing down your back making sure you are in class, teachers constantly asking did you do your work, giving out extra credit, and allowing make-ups. In college, I learned fast that, no one is constantly reminding you of assignments, professors rarely give extra credit and allow make-ups. There was no one there to hold my hand like there was in high school. I had to become responsible and learn time management. At the end of my first year in college, I had made the Dean’s List both semesters. After getting comfortable with the college atmosphere, I was ready to get involved on campus, so I joined the cheerleading team. Throughout the season, I learned how to work with many different personalities while managing to balance schoolwork and sports. In the end, I came out with honor roll, a 3.3 GPA, apart of Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, and experienced collegiate sports. I have learned many lessons and would recommend the program to everyone!