While other students are starting their day at Central at a desk, senior Kyle Bryan starts off his weekdays by driving to Saint Charles Community College and begins his first hour with the dual enrollment program. Bryan finishes his class and drive back to Central to continue his enrollment there. Going from SCCC to Central, Bryan’s experience in class changes from self guided to a more collective class learning experience. 

College is the next step for most students who complete high school, although there are some who decide to enroll in college classes earlier for a head start. The SCCC program, one of the variety of options students can partake in, is a popular choice for those wanting to earn that head start because it offers many courses.

 In Bryan’s case, he is currently enrolled in Calculus 3 at SCCC. Travelling to the college and to FHC is one of the tasks that he goes through on a daily basis. SCCC became a choice for him to continue his path in enrolling in math classes. 

“I decided to take [Calculus 3] because I had finished Calc BC last year at Central and it was a really good math class, and then this expands my knowledge and also prepares me for college and my career,” Bryan said.

Taking his first class at college, Bryan sees a change of atmosphere of the class compared to taking classes at Central. 

“It’s been a very different environment compared to high school. It’s a lot more of student, by yourself and learning compared to a class learning environment. It’s a lot of straight lecture, do your homework at home, come in, do the lecture and test,” Bryan explained.

Senior Dylan Stover is also an enrolled student taking Calculus 3, along with Analytical Geometry, at SCCC. Stover shares the same belief with Bryan about how the class is a next step into college and helps to prepare them. 

Stover agrees with Bryan that it is a different environment; however, he explains how close the class is. Normally in a college class, the typical class size ranges from 20 to a few hundred for a lecture, but in Stover’s class there are only four. 

“There are only four people in the class… the teacher is talking more personal to us than a normal class would be,” Stover said.

Bryan feels the work hasn’t changed and it doesn’t seem very difficult. Compared to his previous year of Calculus, the amount of homework given is similar. One of Bryan’s challenges and changes is moving from SCCC to Central on Wednesdays. Because classes end earlier on Wednesdays, Bryan arrives late. 

“My day to day life – it really only changes the fact that I have to drive from first to second hour, and there’s about the same amount of homework. But the big changes whenever it comes to Wednesdays because i’ll be coming in slightly late to class,” Bryan said. 

There are other core classes (Math, English, Science, Social Studies) that are offered in the program. Mrs. Michelle Breuer, who helps students with college and careers, tells about the variety of classes that students can take. 

“There are many core classes to take, from English, Math, History, electives, including humanities, social studies, art, music, theatre,” Mrs. Breuer said. 

Some of the core classes taken at SCCC can also replace high school courses. The credit benefits students because not only does it earn college credit, but earns the necessary credit needed for graduation. 

“English 1 is offered to juniors, and it gets rid of English 3 here. And so that English 1 will be the same as English 3, and then senior year when they go and take English 2, then that’s going to be their fourth English,” Mrs. Breuer explained 

Although the program is beneficial, students will still turn down on it because the credit shows up on their high school transcript. 

 “Any of these classes they take will come in our transcript and their GPA, So some kids might not want that on their transcript here, “ Mrs. Breuer said. 

Breuer still recommends the program to students who choose to earn a head start or move away from high school. 

“There are some students that really, they’re done with high school, right, and they want to explore other options. That’s what I recommend,” Breuer added. 

Bryan also recommends the program for students wanting to go further past the required electives, like himself and Stover.  

“I’d recommend it to anyone that has finished the stair steps of the core classes at Central and wants to go beyond by preparing for college,” Bryan said.

Bryan, along with Stover, plans to transfer the credits from SCCC to his college choices and, in the future, plans to take more classes. Bryan plans to use the credit from Calculus 3 and his previous years’ credits at Missouri S&T. 

“I might take Differential Equations next semester because a lot of their classes are semester classes instead of full years,” Bryan added. “I was hoping to transfer this credit along with maybe credits from previous years. Probably S&T.”

Overall, SCCC is a benefiting program that helps students earn college credit and earn a head start into their careers, and is recommended above other dual enrollment programs. These classes can be for post high school or can replace classes required.