Wilmington University freshman Alexis Webb got a head start on college. In fact, she completed a semester’s worth of classes before joining most of her fellow incoming classmates this fall.

Webb, a recent Caesar Rodney High School graduate, participated in the Early College Credit program throughout her senior year, simultaneously juggling high school and college homework.

“It was a lot of work, but I had to figure out how to organize my schedule to complete all my assignments,” she said. “Time management became my biggest priority.”

The program allows high-achieving high school juniors and seniors the opportunity to earn college credit by attending courses at a Wilmington University location. According to studies by Jobs For the Future, early college students are outperforming their peers nationwide, with 90 percent of participants graduating from high school compared to 78 percent nationally who don’t take early college courses.

“I’ve been able to forge relationships with people outside my age bracket in my classes,” said Webb. “It’s put me in a circle of people who are focused on learning, which motivates me to be better.”

Although Webb says she enjoyed getting a start on college life, she was most excited about the financial benefits and potential to graduate early.

According to WilmU Academic Partnership Manager Lisa Lombardozzi, Early College Credit participants are offered up to four courses at about 10 percent of the cost of traditional undergraduate courses.

Webb plans to study Media Design in the College of Technology, though she has already created a reputation with her friends as the go-to for Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator software systems.

“I feel accomplished knowing that I’m already prepared for college-level courses,” she said. “This is just one step closer to my degree.”

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