Watching videos of the professor teaching a lesson, spending hours studying, relying on friends for help. This is what high school students explore when they enter the college life while in high school.

High school students have the opportunity to explore the realm of college by taking college classes while in high school. The school offers history, economics, government, trigonometry and algebra.

“There are a lot of schools that offers these classes,” high school counselor Leslie Graham said. “What’s unique about our program is that Archer pays for the courses. While other schools make it available to take them, they may not pay for the whole course, maybe a book or the course, but not the whole course.”

Not only does the school pay for the courses,  but Principal Vance Morris said that students get a shot at college experience.

“Students get a jump start on continuing their education,” Mr. Morris said. “It’s free of charge with lots of support; students get to experience the college rigor.”

College courses are different from normal high school class room classes, senior Sidney Dunkel said.

“We do the work online and the grade we get in college also counts as our grade for our high school class,” she said.

With more work, junior Paige Victory said college adds stress on high school students.

“I worry about my grade in college history because it matters more,” Victory said. “So I’m constantly stressing about the grade I get because it affects my transcript.”

The result, however, will be worth the effort, senior Caitlyn Taylor said.

“They can be very stressful, but they will pay off eventually,” Taylor said. “We get extra help and that help benefits us in the long run.”

Senior Caylen Myracle doesn’t spend much time with her friends because of her college work.

“I come home from school and go to work,” Myracle said. “When I get back from work, I go straight to my college homework with no time to spend for myself.”

If she didn’t have to work on college homework, senior Avery Moorehead said she could spend her time otherwise.

“I could spend time with friends, I could sleep and I could even spend time on my other homework,” Moorehead said.

Even though students spend more time on the college courses than their high school classes, Mrs. Graham said students are helped more than harmed.

“Classes like these transition students, help them take responsibilities and prepare them to meet deadlines in the future,” Mrs. Graham said. “Plus when students get out of high school, most of them are ahead of other students in hours.”