CHICAGO HEIGHTS–(ENEWSPF)–August 13, 2015. When 2014 Marian Catholic Academy graduate Hannah Grace Bohlen started taking classes at Prairie State College (PSC) in fall 2015, she already had 15 credits from the Advanced Placement (AP) classes she took in high school under her belt, giving her a head start on earning her college degree.
In only three semesters, the Homewood resident has completed her associate degree from PSC, and is well on her way to earning her bachelor’s degree in early childhood special education from the University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee. With her newly earned associate degree and the AP credits earned before coming to PSC, Bohlen plans to have her bachelor’s degree by 2017.
“I always knew I wanted to work with children,” she said. “I grew up around children and find I often have more patience with kids than I do with adults and teenagers.”
But, when she graduated high school, she wasn’t sure exactly what she wanted to do, so she decided to take classes at PSC first because it was a very affordable option. And, she encourages others to do the same.
“Community college is especially helpful if you don’t know what you plan to study,” she said. “It’s best to get your general education credits done where it’s the most affordable while you discover what you want to do, instead of spending lots of money figuring it out.”
“I watched my five siblings attend big universities right after high school, and I saw them accumulate a lot of debt,” she added. “PSC was just the smarter financial choice for me.”
Bohlen also was a recipient of the PSC Board of Trustees Scholarship for all three semesters she attended, and beginning in the spring 2015 semester, she managed to hold two jobs, in addition to her full class load.
She says the swift completion of her associate degree at PSC was a “good experience.”
“I had lots of great teachers who definitely prepared me for a four-year school and bachelor’s degree program,” she said. “Coming to PSC helped make me stay time-oriented and organized. If you stay focused, you can accomplish anything.”
Registration for the fall semester at PSC is now open. Classes begin Monday, Aug. 17. For more information or to register, visit www.prairiestate.edu.
Source: www.prairiestate.edu
