Many students like to get ahead in their studies. Alix Parsons and Trinity Loudin, who are both 10th graders, are excited to be able to do the Early College Program, which is a program that allows students to experience college while still in high school. 

“I decided to do the early college program because I wanted to get ahead and get my associates by the time I was out of high school,” Loudin says.

“I wanted to do the early college program so I have a better chance of getting into higher and better schools and so I can get my associates degree by the time I finish high school,” Parsons says.

The classes at Macomb Community College are faster paced and more independent than high school classes. Both girls agree that it will be more difficult in the start of it, but with time, it will be an easier process. They also agree on continuing college afterwards since they plan on succeeding even further.

“I do definitely think the ECM program will challenge my academic levels because they’re harder than AP classes. As of right now, I’m going to be taking my social study classes with psychology and sociology. I plan on continuing college at either Ohio University for good psychology classes for majors, or at the University of Tennessee because they have a forensic science and anthropology program,” says Loudin.

“I do believe the ECM program will challenge my academic levels, but I believe it will be in a good way overall. I’m choosing math and economics classes through ECM. I’m also going to pursue college afterwards through a four-year college or possibly a six-year college through either MIT or Princeton,” Parson explains.

As Loudin and Parsons are waiting for next year to start, Nevaeh Crater has already been in the program.

“It is definitely something that takes work but it’s not too challenging. The hardest thing is probably managing social life and schooling,” Crater clears up.

Crater plans on continuing college at either the University of Tennessee or Northern Michigan University. While she isn’t sure about what classes she wants to take, she’s aiming for psychology and language classes mainly. 

Cassidy Godin is a 2019 Lake Shore graduate who attended the ECM program. 

While a lot of students are nervous about the classes at the college being too difficult, Godin explains how it was for her. 

“I wouldn’t say it was hard to manage, ECM classes were generally easy and not too far off from a normal high school class…At the college I’m at now, it was so much easier than university. But, ECM as a high school student was fine. I’d say the hardest part was getting over the fear of being the youngest college student in every class. I was more afraid I wasn’t smart enough compared to the adults in my classes, and I was shy with them. I was smart enough though,” Godin says.

After the early college program, Godin continued to Lawrence Technological University and majored in Architecture. 

“I honestly don’t think I ever would have gone to college if it weren’t for ECM…Most people we know just get normal jobs and skip formalized education, but because I did ECM, I was comfortable with the idea of formalized education,” Godin says

The ECM program helped Godin a lot since she ended up taking an architecture class and ended up liking it. She applied to only one school that she thought was best, and was able to get in. Godin has her Bachelor of Architecture and now is about to finish her Master of Architecture in May. 

“I only applied to one school because college was never a thing that was pushed on me by my parents by anyone in my life. Our whole high school didn’t even seem to be interested in it, which I think is totally wrong now. Now I see that college helps young adults become real adults. It enters them into the real world as a helping hand that many parents don’t know how to guide their kids in,” Godin finishes.

While it may be hard to be able to manage a decent social life and difficult to keep up grades, I believe these future ECM students at Lake Shore will succeed greatly. Make sure you wish them luck as they walk by in the hallways!