Senior Aliyah Pompa will have 74 college credits when she graduates from Johnson County Community College (JCCC) this year. She has taken four to five classes each semester since her junior year and one to two each summer.
She said JCCC Dual Degree classes are like college courses, with a set number of credit hours, and each class usually meets three to five hours a week. This allows students to receive college credit while completing their high school diploma, graduating with an associate degree in either arts or science.
Senior Loren Niemann takes three classes at JCCC and one online class through JCCC. He is getting his Associate of Science through the Dual Degree program.
Niemann said he is taking mostly general education classes to get them out of the way so he does not have to take them in college.
“I’ve taken most of the general stuff that will transfer over, so I can skip the less major-focused classes,” Niemann said.
He said he plans to major in architectural engineering at the University of Alabama. He said his interest in physics and engineering led him to want to become a roller coaster engineer.
Though Niemann takes most of his classes at JCCC, he is enrolled in Team Sports at BVNW to ensure he can remain eligible for football and bowling, as required by the Kansas State High School Activities Association (KSHSAA).
He said there are financial benefits to the program.
“The district pays for your classes, so it’s just free college. It’s like AP, except you don’t have to rely on the test to get college credit,” Niemann said.
Sarah Beren, the liaison between Blue Valley and JCCC, recruits and counsels students interested in the Dual Degree program. She works with students and counselors to ensure graduation requirements are met and helps them choose classes.
Niemann said in order to receive college credit for these classes, students must pass the class. He stated that AP classes are more difficult since they have more time to go into detail.
She stated that tuition at JCCC costs $101 per credit hour. Because Blue Valley covers 100% of tuition costs, she stated students earning their associate degree through the program save over $6,000 in tuition costs.
Along with Niemann, Pompa and junior Sophia Jessip are also enrolled in the Dual Degree program, spending two years at JCCC while obtaining their associate degree. Pompa and Jessip said they are more focused on math and science and chose to get their associate degree in general science.
Pompa was introduced to the program by her mother, who found it in the principal’s weekly newsletter. Pompa further explored the process with her counselor, Stephanie Keller, and said she was drawn to the independence and individualized learning environment.
“I really liked the layout of how it was an hour-long class every couple of days. I get to do most of the work at home, so I did a lot of studying on my own, and I feel like it prepared me a lot for college,” Pompa said.
She said the workload and pace can be stressful, as students are responsible for completing the same amount of work as college students in a shorter time frame.
Apart from the stress, Pompa said the program has created more academic opportunities. She said she chose to step away from high school cheer in her sophomore year to focus on school.
“I came to the realization that I had a lot more interest in furthering my education rather than sports,” Pompa said.
Besides the academic opportunities, Pompa said JCCC also offers academic resources, including the math resource center, which she uses.
Her main reason for joining the program was the ability to take more classes without being limited by a traditional high school schedule.
“I have a big desire to learn, and I love taking random classes,” Pompa said. “Having the opportunity to expand knowledge like that, whereas I might not have been able to in high school. I think it’s really cool to see what’s out there.”
Beren said the program can provide a different style of education than traditional high school classes.
“I think it appeals to students who don’t love sitting behind a desk all day,” Beren said. “They just don’t feel fulfilled by that type of learning and can’t picture themselves doing it for four more years after high school.”
Pompa plans to attend a four-year college out of state and major in mechanical engineering. She also plans to go to law school after college and specialize in intellectual property law.
Jessip found out about Dual Degree through her sister, who is also in the program. She said getting started earlier was helpful to her and a good opportunity because she will already have two years done.
“In the present time, it helps me to get ready for college [by] actually [taking] college classes,” Jessip said.
Regarding the social aspect, she said that even though she enjoys being at JCCC, it is difficult because she doesn’t see many people from high school.
Niemann agreed and said the program has drawbacks.
“You’re not really getting the full high school experience,” Niemann said.
He said that because he spends little time at BVNW, he doesn’t have as many interactions with friends during school. He said he misses school events like assemblies and club meetings.
“You’re more on your own there,” Niemann said. “If you don’t set up your schedule in a way you like, then it can kind of set you up for failure.”
Pompa also said since there is a wide range of students, it is nice to meet people at different places in their lives.
“It’s definitely going to be hard, but in the future it’ll pay off,” Jessip said.
Similar to Pompa and Niemann, Jessip also said it is more independent as far as having your own schedule and doing most of your work at home.
Jessip is currently taking required high school classes at JCCC, such as math, history and chemistry, but will continue to stay in the program and graduate with her associate degree next year. She plans to go to medical school and major in anesthesiology.
“I would recommend it because it’s super beneficial if you couldn’t care less about having the high school experience and wanting to focus more on your future,” Jessip said.
