Kids Are Staying In High School For ’13th Grade’ And Does That Sound Awful To Anyone Else?

In my day, 13th grade was the asshole name for community college. My day was a couple years ago. Now, 13th grade actually exists, and it’s for kids who just aren’t sure if they can hack it at college.

Some teens are staying in high school for an extra year for 13th grade to earn associate degrees or substantial college credits for free or at a reduced cost.

Some five-year programs can be found in early college high schools – a type of school that offers a combined curriculum of both high school and college courses. Classic early college high schools are located on or near college campuses, says Barnett. In four or five years a student could earn an associate degree.

If you’re thinking it’s all first period gym class and another prom to get turned down for, it’s not, at least according to the 13th graders.

“It’s different from your normal high school experience and that’s good,” says Morgan Whitman, 18, a fifth-year student at Duplin Early College High School in Kenansville, North Carolina, who had to apply to attend the school. “There’s no drama, there’s none of that kind of stuff. You’re all grown up and mostly you’re all family.”

As a fifth-year student, all of her classes are held at the community college located on the same campus as her high school, she says. She’s required to go to her high school occasionally to check in with her teachers and attend a weekly senior seminar on the college-going process.

HOLY SHIT THAT’S EVEN WORSE! “Hi, it’s me, I’m just here checking in to let you all know I didn’t go to a real college. See ya next week!”

In all honesty, this option is probably better than the alternatives — either not going to college and spending a life working in retail hell or going to college, flunking out, and then that retail thing I said happens but just a little later. Perhaps my big issue is the name. Thirteenth grade just sounds like it’s for the “not so bright.” It needs a rebranding. Pre-college? Post-high school? Eventually manager of TJ Maxx?

[via US News]

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Chris Illuminati is a 5-time published author and recovering a**hole who writes about running, parenting, and professional wrestling.