Running Start versus High School Full-Time: What’s Right For You?

Moving! Running Start graduate, Mackenzie Guadagno enters her dorm in the midst of college life after earning years of dual credit.

As the school year comes to an end and the upcoming transition to a higher grade approaches, many incoming juniors and possibly seniors may question whether to participate in a program exposing high schoolers to college life while earning dual credit. This program is Running Start. Though controversial for many reasons, the question still stands whether to leave behind a “normal” high school experience for college credit, or stay comfortable participating in a more guided and possibly less challenging lesson plan.

Although Running Start doesn’t come without challenges, the advantages towards a head start on college aren’t insignificant. If you’re looking at attending a four year college post high school, Running Start manages to save money and time simultaneously (provided the school funds the community college classes). Participating in this program—if done correctly—finishes two years worth of college credit for free.

“I transferred because it's free college. I'll be graduating high school with my AA for free! Saving time and money.” Junior Ash O’Malley commented.

“The classes that I took ended up covering almost if not all of my GUR (General University Requirements) and I didn’t even do Running Start full-time. There are people that I go to school with now who did Running Start full-time, and got two associates degrees and are gonna be in undergrad for less than two years.” Graduated Senior Mackenzie Guadagno added. 

However, indulging in a somewhat intensive program leaves less time to attend social events given the majority of social time occurs during school hours.

“My biggest struggle is definitely being away from my Vashon friends. Certain friendships have dwindled because I haven’t been at school everyday.” O’Malley commented. 

“It’s very isolating. People who care about the high school experience won't like Running Start because you miss a lot of it. You’re able to go to dances and school wide events that are after school, but everyday things like lunches or assemblies, you just miss.” Guadagno stated. 

Overall, if you can maintain a balanced work-life schedule with satisfying grades and don’t have a crippling case of FOMO, this option may be for you.

On the flip side, staying at VHS offers its own rewards. Being surrounded by friends and familiar faces—though living in a small community may diminish that value—offers a more expansive social life as well as less intensive classes. Running Start is not the only way to get into a decent college; it’s but one option of many.  

“I like being able to still have that social aspect of seeing all my friends everyday, whereas if I was doing Running Start, I wouldn't be able to have that,” Junior Nya Hart said. Thus advocating further for the social life portion of staying in high school. All this said, remaining at the high school full time removes the possible privilege to sleep in. 

“Waking up early everyday. I don’t like to wake up early to spend a million hours at school everyday,” Hart continued. Overall if a more traditional guided high school experience fits best, no shame to you.

To recap, both sides come with benefits and struggles - as most major life decisions often do - the trick is to find the best fit for you and your learning type. If that involves a more self guided lesson plan and the ability to sleep in, look to Running Start! If you work best surrounded by peers and a set bell schedule, sticking to high school full time may be the way to go! Overall, it's not about intelligence vs. incompetence, it's about choosing a learning technique that targets your learning strengths, that being the most significant running start in education you need.