What I Wish I Knew Before Doing Running Start

by Rogelio Dominguez Garcia, Reporter

Opinion, Local News

Want to know if Running Start is for you? Running Start is a great opportunity to get ahead and earn college credits during high school. It allows high school juniors and seniors to take up to 15 credits a quarter of 100+-level college courses without paying tuition.

Seems perfect! Do two years of Running Start, transfer the credits into a 4-year university, and do another two years to graduate with a bachelor's degree. Yes, this is possible, however, this is not the case for every situation. As someone who did full-time Running Start my junior and senior year, there are a couple of considerations prospective applicants should keep in mind.

COLLEGE CREDITS

One of the main aspects of Running Start is the ability to earn college credits during high school. Students are only expected to pay for the fees and textbooks for the classes — which averaged around $200-$300 per quarter for me. Earning college credits early on can help bypass introductory courses. This allows the student to take more advanced courses in college right away.

ACADEMIC PREPARATION

Running Start may help students develop stronger studying habits and time management skills, preparing them for the demands of higher education. The experience also helps build skills in interacting with peers and professors. This was noticeable to me. My schedule became more organized, and I became competent at communicating with the faculty at college.

INCREASE AND DECREASE IN OPPORTUNITIES

College courses have a wide range of classes not offered at Kamiak. Students get access to facilities, extra resources, and tutors that specialize in the requested subject. However, by taking Running Start, you may miss out on the traditional high school experience—especially waking up at 6 AM. It is more difficult to participate in sports and clubs. It is still possible, but your schedule has to be nearly perfectly aligned with clubs and sports (though you do get some choice in class scheduling). In my case, I was lucky my activities aligned with my Running Start courses. In most cases, there are morning classes, as well as afternoon classes that can finish as late as 7 PM. Additionally, some programs outside of school aimed at college students may be open to Running Start students too — just be sure to ask if the program has age restrictions or other requirements. For example, I was able to study abroad at a university by being part of an accredited college.

SOCIAL ADJUSTMENTS

Transitioning to a college environment while still in high school can cause social challenges. In class, you may be around people who are older and it could be harder to find a sense of belonging and start new friendships. I lost touch with friends to whom I would talk in the mornings and during lunch at Kamiak. Because I did not have these common classes with my high school peers, it was even harder to be with my friends with a tight college schedule. I resolved this issue with extra-curricular activities.

CONSIDERATIONS

While Running Start waives the tuition costs for high school students who enroll in 100+-level courses, students still need to consider fees, textbooks, and transportation. Not every student needs to worry about transportation, because some courses can be taken fully online. I never visited the college campus until winter quarter. Also, doing full-time Running Start while taking no classes at Kamiak prevents you from running for ASB positions.

SHOULD YOU TAKE RUNNING START?

Now, should you do Running Start? If you plan on applying to an Ivy League or other prestigious school in the US, I do not recommend it. Prestigious schools would prefer dedication with the AP/IB classes instead of doing Running Start, especially those on the east coast. You should know which university you want to apply to. At a school like NYU, they only accept a year's worth of college credits, and the college credits will not be accepted if they were used as a graduation requirement. Note that not every school is going to accept Running Start credits, however all of Washington’s public four-year colleges and universities do accept them. Researching the guidelines for credit transfers at a specific university is vital to deciding if the Running Start program is for you.

DISCLAIMER: The opinions, beliefs, and viewpoints expressed by the various authors in this paper do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs, and viewpoints of Kamiak High School or The Gauntlet.