Can You Go To College At 17

Career Change: Marketing To College Career Strategist

Elizabeth Venturini is a graduate of UCLAs College Counseling Program. She makes the college admissions process easier for high-achieving, late-blooming teenagers and all the stressed-out parents who love them. She focuses on the end result of graduating with a college degree: getting a job.

“Not knowing all the terminology used in education was the biggest challenge I had to face. Coming from the corporate world was an advantage because I had a business perspective and I used that throughout my coursework.

“The UCLA College Counseling program provides students with the tools they need to help teens and adults with todays demanding college admissions process. It gave me the opportunity to start a new career and to do something I feel passionate about.

“I’d suggest that anyone in career transition who’s interested in going back to college to complete a career interest assessment first. Discover your current likes, interests, values, and work style. This is important because what you might have valued in your career when you were 20, 30, or even 40 years old might have changed now that you’re in their 50s or older.”

How Many Credit Hours Should I Take A Semester

Aside from being knowledgeable of the common question what do credits mean in college?, its important to understand how to plan each semester accordingly to ensure you graduate on time. When it comes to choosing how many credit hours to take in a semester, there are various factors to consider. An important factor is a student’s availability. When entering college, a newfound opportunity or need for a job can ultimately affect a student’s schedule. A student’s major or minor can also impact this decision, depending on how much room the program grants.

College Express shares advice stating, “Many colleges recommend taking around 15 credits per semester, which totals 120 credits after four years. Most bachelor’s degree programs require 120 credits to graduate.” By taking this amount, students can feel confident that they are on the right track to graduation. However, attending college is a big step, and it is more than understandable for a student to take fewer classes in the first semester to minimize feeling overwhelmed. After the first semester, students can adjust the number of hours based on what works best.

Whatever that amount is, it is essential to keep in mind that to be considered a full-time student, 12 credit hours are needed. This amount enables students to receive financial aid and indicates how long a student’s college career will be.

Related Articles

And 17 Year Old Application Requirements

You cannot immediately take the GED® tests. State requirements mandate that you attend classes prior to taking the GED® tests.

In order to apply for classes, documentation is required. Email the following to

You May Like: Cheapest Universities In Illinois For International Students

How Many Awards Are Made Annually

A minimum of 700 scholarships are awarded annually:

• 250 Traditional
• 200 Adult Learner
• 250 College Savings Match

In May 2017, 635 awards were made. In May 2018, 919 awards were made. In May 2019, 1,354 awards were made. In May 2020, 1,571 awards were made. In May 2021, 932 awards were made.

The number of awards made annually is based on the external funds raised.

Class Length Based Off College Units

Before discussing how college units impact the length of a class, it is essential to understand what college units are and how they work. As defined by ThoughtCo., “A “college unit of credit” is a number value assigned to each class offered at a college or university.” The purpose of these units is to measure the value of a class. Several factors determine this value.

As stated by College Express, “All college classes are not created equal.” Often determined by the level, rigor, or the number of hours spent, one class can be worth more credit units than others. It is common to find that the harder or higher a class is, the more units of credit it will be worth.

ThoughtCo. breaks this down further by stating, “Typically, a 1-unit course corresponds to classes that meet for one hour of lecture, discussion, or lab time per week. As follows, a course that meets twice a week for one hour would correspond to a 2-unit course, and a class meeting twice for 1.5 hours would be a 3-unit class.” The more frequently a class meets, the more likely it will be worth more units of credit. In most cases, college classes are 3 or 4 units.

Recommended Reading: Best Job Without College

Reddit I Am 17 And In My 2nd Year Of College And My Parents Are Basically Making Me Drop Out Of School I’m Clueless Help

I am female, currently 17, graduated high school at age 15, went to college the next fall to pursue a degree in marketing. Due to jobs and friends and experiences I transferred to the computer science program because I am passionate about it and business college didn’t interest me. A bit about myself – I am fairly independent, I work at an IT desk and odd web dev/design jobs on the side for money, I live about 30-40 minutes from my university and live at home with my parents and either take the bus or have my parents drive me to school. I have no car/license.

I’ve never had a good relationship with my parents due to their neverending expectations of me and my independent nature conflicting with that, but yesterday things got serious. Long story short, my parents think that I am wasting my time with a CS degree and should never have transferred.

Yesterday, they said they were going to stop paying for my school unless I sign their 5-year ‘contract’. They are stipulating that I adhere to things like:

• a strict 11PM curfew and 11:30 bedtime every night

• to not leave the state

• not staying over at friends’ places

• not a single dropped class or F

-things like that.

On the other hand, I have 0 knowledge when it comes to student loans, financial aid, taxes, health insurance, renting apartments… my parents are somewhat wealthy which has both sheltered me to these things and disqualifies me from a lot of aid.

Do You Know What You Want To Do

Knowing what you want in life is hard, especially if youre in your teens or twenties and havent had many experiences yet. When I was looking at colleges, I thought I wanted to be a graphic designer or a teacherand, well, that didnt work out the way I expected at all.

One friend of mine went to college for marine biology and spent two years studying turtles before she decided she wasnt interested. She switched to a medical degree, and then to physiotherapy. Shes still not sure what she wants to do, and shes incredibly behind on completing her degree and saddled with student debt.

Theres nothing wrong with switching majors. Many people choose to do it simply because college offers a lot of exposure to things they didnt even know they liked in the first place. If you have the money to experiment and take a variety of classes until you figure out your major, then sure, do that.

But, if youre like the vast majority of people who need to take out loans, you shouldnt go to college to find yourself. Youve got the whole wide world out there for that, and it wont put you into a pile of debt.

Recommended Reading: What Do I Need For My Dorm

Five Top Questions About A Vocational Or Trade School

1. Whats the difference between a trade/vocational school certificate, a certification, and professional licensing?

A certificate is a type of degree that is earned after a specific course of study. It is issued by the school, not the state. For example, you may earn a certificate for completing coursework to become a certified nursing assistant , but may still need to complete an application for licensing to work as a CNA. Certifications require a set of assessments and documentation of experience, and subsequently are used to show that workers have attained competency in an occupation. An easier way to remember the difference is this way school issue certificates, states and other government bodies issue licenses, and professional or industry organization issue certifications.

2. How do I know what type of licensing or certifications I need?

The easiest way to do this is to locate your states licensing website. You can do this early by Googling your state, and then the terms professional licensing board. This will bring up information on what occupations require a license in your state, as well as what certificate you will have needed to earn to apply for the license, and even the application for license itself.

Your state should also have a Business and Professional Regulation website with more information.

3. How do I find a vocational or trade school?

4. What about financial aid?

5. What about an apprenticeship program?

Related:

Showing Off Your Skills

Are you a good leader? Are you a team player and dependable? Employers are looking for these kinds of qualities in their employees. Find out more below on how to stand out to a potential employer.

• Everyone has Skills – Visit the CareerZone Portfolio Job Readiness Skills Module to find out which skills you can add to your resume from your previous work, volunteer, or extracurricular experiences. Make sure to create a Portfolio account or sign into your Portfolio account if youve already created one to access the Job Readiness Skills Module.
• Get the Competitive Edge with Soft Skills – Businesses are looking for people with soft skills . Find out how you can gain soft skills today!

Next Section

Continue

Also Check: Universities In Terre Haute Indiana

Burnish Your Soft Skills

Reflect on the people in the upper echelons of your company or industry whom you admire. Write down any qualities they possess that make these leaders effective in their roles. These likely include numerous soft skills along with all the technical skills! After all, the more responsibility one takes on, the more the need to manage people, which requires the emotional intelligence that soft skills provide.

• Organizational skills
• Closure skills

Do you have any of these skills, or do you need to work on developing them? List the skills that you will need to intentionally develop. Then, consider how to go about attaining them.

For example, do you need to be able to speak confidently and eloquently in front of a large group of people? You may want to join a local Toastmasters Club to pick up this vital skill. Conversely, maybe youre the one in a group chat or Zoom call who is always talking. If so, you may have to remind yourself to stay on mute more often.

Do you admire an industry leaders ability to resolve conflicts? Commit to reading up on or watching podcasts about effective conflict resolution strategies. Take a class on it, if need be. Or if your company wont pay for it, see if there is an online class you can take for just a small investment.

Keep a running list of all the soft skills you are amassing and the classes youve taken. In this way, you implement your five-year plan to hone your soft skills.

Make Studying A Priority

Photo via

Find study methods that work for youwhile pulling an all-nighter can happen, its a better idea to prepare in advance to help mitigate stress and have good. Whether its color-coding your notes, making flashcards, or trying the Poromodo method, experiment with different studying techniques to see what works best for you. There has been research that students who study in study groups do well because theyre not afraid to ask others in the group for help, said Levine.

Photo via

Between late-night dinners, weekend nights out, and general college expenses, learning how to manage finances is usually a big challenge for college freshmen. A few basic money management tips for students include knowing how much is in your bank account, so you dont overdraw, and making sure to always pay off your credit cards on time and in full each month. Save money by registering for a university meal plan, shop for your own groceries, and avoid going out to dinner too often. Use public transportation like trains and buses to help you save on gas expenses and live sustainably! When talking with incoming university students, Levine recommends students put at least $25 a month into a savings account so they can have some money saved by the time they finish school. In addition, he suggests students find part-time jobs or paid internships throughout the school year, or find a full-time position over the summer.

You May Like: Where Can I Sell My Used College Books

The Minimum Age For Online Courses

Many students, especially those who have graduated from high school early due to course acceleration or home school programs, wonder if they can jump right into their college education. Is there a minimum age to begin taking online college courses? The answer is mixed and is often determined by each individual institution.

Some institutions may have age requirements clearly listed under their admissions requirements. Others are less focused on age and more focused on completion of a high school degree or GED. In this instance, a person who has graduated very young should be accepted without worry.

Even those schools that have minimum age requirements might make an exception. If a young student can prove they are as prepared as any adult learner, then the age-based entrance requirements may be waived.

What Is Ability To Benefit

According to the U.S. Department of Education, Ability to Benefit is an educational law. This law was amended in 2015. Now, it allows for qualifying students without a high school diploma or GED to be eligible for Title IV funding. The law was amended in order to help more students enroll in college. The hope is that students without a diploma or GED will feel that college is within their reach. Those who amended the law believe that it will help thousands of students nationwide.

Read Also: Study.com Transfer Credits

Early Entrance To College

Early entrance to college, sometimes called early admission or early enrollment, is the practice of allowing high school students to be accelerated into college, one or more years before the traditional age of college entrance, and without obtaining a high school diploma. In some cases this is done individually. Often, however, it is done as part of a cohort acceleration program, in which many such students are accelerated into college together at the same time. These programs are usually targeted to gifted students, and may provide their students with a social support network and help in dealing with the adjustment.

By placing students into full-time college studies, early entrance differs from dual enrollment, early college high school, Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, and Advanced International Certificate of Education programs, which are alternative methods of earned college credits while in high school.

Colleges That Don’t Require A High School Diploma Or Ged

Get Matched to An Online College for FREE

There are students who want to go to college but do not have a high school diploma or GED. They may feel like their options are limited. However, there may be unique and innovative options available to them. There are many community colleges that accept students without a high school diploma or GED. There also some universities that accept these students. This is the information that you need to know aboutcolleges that dont require high school diploma or GED. Additionally, you may also be interested in trade schools that dont require a high school diploma or GED.

Find an Online Degree Program

Don’t Miss: Ashworth College Reputation

Meet The Youngest Graduate In Central Penn Colleges 140

At an age when most of her peers are focused on completing their senior year of high school, Michelle Donaghy has already graduatedfrom college, that is! In December, she completed her final 18 credits to earn her bachelors degree in business administration from Central Penn College.

Four months prior, she had just celebrated her 17th birthday. Yes, youve read that correctly, Michelle Donaghy earned a four-year degree eight months before shes even allowed to legally vote in this country. As you may have already surmised, she is the youngest graduate in Central Penns 140-year history. How amazing is that?

But, wait, it gets better During her 16 months at Central Penn, she took a full course load every term, while attending year-round, thanks to Central Penns accelerated, quarterly schedule.

In addition, for the last year or so, she worked 30+ hours a week as a business analyst for Highmark. And if her schedule wasnt maxed out enough, she also served as president of the Student Government Association during 2021.

How was she able to do this?

From kindergarten through high school, Donaghy attended Commonwealth Charter Academy , a cyber school based in Harrisburg. Bright, curious and disciplined, she always worked ahead.

My parents were great motivators. They really encouraged me to learn as much as possible, said Donaghy, who grew up in Mechanicsburg.

Something new In-person classes

• Movie Night
• Knights at the Round Table
• Fall Harvest
• Therapy Dogs for end of term