As a junior in high school, Carolyn Powers has already completed an entire semester of college through Houghton’s Early College Experience. As a homeschooled student, Carolyn is always looking for quality, yet affordable opportunities to further her education.

“I enrolled in Houghton’s early college program because I wanted to experiment and see what college classes were like,” said Carolyn. “Houghton is very personal and felt like they really cared about me. Their courses are extremely affordable and fit my busy schedule.”

Since enrolling, Carolyn has learned how to balance a rigorous academic workload on top of her busy, extra-curricular schedule. She has also improved several key skills that will help her succeed in college, including note-taking, reading comprehension, and writing organization.

Most importantly, taking these classes has shown Carolyn what a Christ-centered college education looks like.

“One of my favorite things about Houghton’s early college program is that the teachers bring Christ into every part of our education. They encourage our interactions with others in kind ways and their lectures are always so rich. I have also made a few close friends through the Houghton online Moodle platform.”

Next semester, Carolyn plans on taking two more online courses and is excited about possibly graduating college early, or pursuing a double major.

For many high school students like Carolyn, Houghton’s Early College Experience is a great way to earn college credit, while developing essential academic skills. Students can start taking Early College or Dual Enrollment courses through Houghton during their junior and senior years of high school. Each class taken will count towards an associate or bachelor’s degree and can help them earn their Houghton degree faster. Credits can also be transferred to another institution to meet degree requirements.