It’s been said that going to college fresh from high school is the hardest transition of a student’s academic life. The topics covered and pace of study may be very different from what they’re used to. To address this issue, Queens Preparatory Academy offers College Now, a program that allows high school students to take  college classes for credit and exposure to the college setting.

Currently, as part of the STEEAM push: science, technology, entrepreneurship, engineering, art and math, a number of QPA students are attending college courses at Queensborough Community College. Classes are held on Saturdays from 9:00 AM and run for around four and a half hours, depending on the course.

The Registration Process

The opportunity to benefit from College Now is open to juniors and seniors. In order to attend these classes, students must create a cunyfirst account. This provides them with an Emplid ID that allows them access to the school. However, in order to have the ID activated, the student must present proof of COVID vaccination. Once that’s done, the next step is to meet with QPA guidance counselor Ms. Edwards, to complete the registration process. “I counsel students on the importance of being exposed to College Now courses,” she shared, “and how the process could prepare them for college in the future.”

Moving forward, students receive an email from Queensborough Community College confirming their attendance. They’re provided with relevant information such as their class number, schedule, and location of the classroom.

STEEAMing Ahead

QPA encourages STEEAM for their students, enrolling them in either college algebra or web design courses. These all count toward college credit, which makes it possible for students to attend college at a more advanced level after passing these courses. However, according to QPA senior Blair Vales, the work is challenging. “I feel like I don’t understand Math anymore,” he claimed. Still, he’s determined to stay the course and learn as much as he can. 

The program also provides much-needed support for those attending Saturday classes. Every Friday, students receive a MetroCard to take public transportation to Queensborough Community College. This Metro card can only be used for two trips, transfer included. The following Friday, students receive a new metro card and so on. 

Overall, students are excited about College Now, and the opportunity to jump-start their college journey. However, the process has its drawbacks. Even though they receive free MetroCards, some students find transportation a problem. With the weekend schedule buses run 30 minutes or more apart, and it’s been very cold on the weekends.

On Saturdays, all students must be present and ready to learn. Then on Wednesdays,  some courses have online classes students must attend using electronic devices like iPads, smart-phones or laptops. However, QPA students like junior Amonique Wynter make the effort. “It helps me stay on top of my college work,” she claimed, “and we go over things that we don’t understand.”

Additionally, where student work is concerned,  Professor William Thompson at Queens Community College commented that “the students are bright, and it’s very good to take math class twice as fast.”

Overcoming Adversity

For some, another drawback of this experience was obtaining the Queensborough ID. Initially, some students weren’t informed about the importance of the QCC ID, nor that it even was required. So, they went to class as scheduled, and were forced to return home since they had no ID. As a result, they missed instruction and were unable to access the course materials. They risked accumulating absences on their college record, and possibly failing the class.

Fedjina Voltaire, a student from the web design class, stated that she doesn’t have a functioning ID, so she just walks in. This is a problem the school has to address. Additionally, the ID status for unvaccinated students is “pending.” 

So, those who want the benefit of early college credits must understand that attending college while still in high school may have its challenges. However, most will agree it’s worth the sacrifice to take advantage of this opportunity for advancement.