34 community colleges in Washington offer a program called Running Start, and here at Bothell High School we have many local colleges that offer this program. It gives you a head start of two years in college, and some students even manage to earn their Associates degree in high school. The question is, now that we’re moving into choosing classes for next year, should or should you not consider Running Start? In this article I will discuss my personal experience with both full time high school (Freshman and Sophomore years) and Running sStart (Junior Year).

Running Start is a large commitment; it’s not something that should be taken lightly. Here are some key points collected from Mrs. Yamada in an interview I conducted with her. Students must have the time and energy to begin to unpack the admissions process, as well as having strong communication skills and an independent mindset. Benefits to collect from Running Start are: Free college tuition; saving families thousands of dollars, depending on how many credits taken, it could count for the first two years of college; though this typically requires taking three classes a quarter, you will spend less time sitting in a classroom (though with a caveat of homework time), and freedom over your own schedule. Though a few of those points do come with caveats, first and foremost while you spend less time in classrooms you spend much more time doing homework. I personally spend 3-4 hours per day working on my college assignments, given I like to get ahead for the week. However, the point of freedom in your schedule will be impacted by your high school schedule. Personally I have two high school classes- 6th and 7th period – meaning no classes on Wednesdays if they begin after 10 am, as well as no classes from 1:30-3:15. But so long as you take this into consideration long before class registration you will be okay.

My personal experience with Running Start has been, for the majority, positive. Within the next bit of this article I’ll go into what my days look like as a Running Start student. I have a college class (Hum150) on Mondays and Wednesdays. On those two days I tend to leave for campus at 8:10 for my 8:45 lecture. Afterwards I’m able to come home to do homework, leaving at 1:10 to get to the high school. After getting through my high school classes I come home again, on a regular day, and spend maybe an additional two hours on homework. Some days this routine is broken up by work or other commitments but typically my days go like that. I still have plenty of time to indulge in my hobbies. Though that may not be how your day would be structured, you need to have good time management to be able to keep up with your classes. I personally use a time blocking chart to plan out my homework periods. Without that, many classes might feel very overwhelming.

This article will not make the decision Aye or Nay for you, but it is a guiding resource and something that would’ve been useful to me when I was deciding during my sophomore year. Take the information as you will, and remember to speak with your counselors if you feel confused or overwhelmed during the process!