College Life as a T-wolf

Being in high school can be fun on its own, but once you’re a junior, you’re given the chance to dual enroll at North Idaho College. This opportunity isn’t just a way to get ahead in high school, it’s a great way to learn the ropes of college life and have fun. You can pursue an associate degree at NIC before you graduate high school, or you can just take a few classes and earn some credits; the best option depends on where you want to go after community college.

For students at Lake City, we get the reduced credit rate at NIC, making each credit only $65, which is a great price for college credits that will transfer to instate universities. For students pursuing an out-of-state education, the credits often don’t transfer, but they look good on your transcript. Taking college classes in high school prepares you for how going onto a four-year university will be. These are just some of the perks of dual enrolling. Jacob Keene told me, “I love the chance to get ahead in high school by dual enrolling. I can get my associates here and it will transfer to Lewis and Clark.”

The other end of the great opportunities of going to NIC during high school is that you get the feel of college. In my opinion, college is a lot more relaxed and focused on actually learning something. The professors at NIC don’t care about you passing, they want you to really learn the information.

Also, you get to meet a new array of people. Being with lots of different age groups is a great way to open up your opinions and learn things you didn’t in high school. In class discussions, you are opened up to different worldviews, and it is a more comfortable environment to talk about world issues. Getting different views and being able to talk openly is great.

NIC has a lot of programs ranging from Aerospace to Outdoor pursuits. You can go into any program you would like at NIC, even as a junior in high school. NIC also provides a wonderful journalism program. Geoff Carr is the advisor of the program and he runs both a great printed paper and online paper. Check their Sentinel out.

At NIC, the Student Union Building is the hub of college life. The cafeteria is located there, and many students go there to study or just take a break from their busy schedules. The SUB is where I study a lot of the time with my friend Skylar. Skylar said,  “The SUB has a great vibe; everyone is there to do their own thing.” Sometimes the SUB is filled with the sound of a piano being played by one of the NIC students.

All around, NIC is a great escape from high school and I highly recommend taking at least one class during your last two years of high school. For more information on dual enrollment check out this link http://www.nic.edu/dualcredit/.