MBU student gains a valuable understanding of time management, technology and what it takes to succeed at the college level … two years prior to stepping onto campus.
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By LYDIA MILAN
When I first heard about the dual-enrollment program that Missouri Baptist University was offering at the Troy/Wentzville extension I was excited.
As a high school junior I welcomed the chance to get a jump on my college career.
It was hard at times trying to balance my high school homework and doing my college homework, but I was able to get all A’s with the exception of one B.
I believe that taking those college credits really helped me as a student. One reason is that taking these classes soon exposed me to the world of Blackboard.
Blackboard lets students track their grades and get their assignments, and it allows teachers to communicate with their students.
Since I was only allowed to take two classes per semester, which I did, I was slowly immersed in the world of Blackboard.
Instead of being thrown into Blackboard and trying to make sure I was completing all the homework posted on it for five or six classes, I was able to explore Blackboard and master its ins and outs.
During my first week at MBU I heard a horror story about how one new student did not do his homework on Blackboard all the way up to mid-terms, because he either did not know about it or did not know how to use Blackboard.
That person could have just as easily been me.
Even though I am the most technical person in my family I still did not master Blackboard in one day.
Having taken classes I was also introduced to Spartan Space, another MBU school website for students to track their financial documents, grades, transcripts, attendance and much more.
Because I took those college credits I am double majoring in broadcast media and journalism and even if I change my mind and decide not to double major I will have completed enough classes to graduate early with a bachelor’s degree.
Taking those college credits early gave me a good feel for what college classes at MBU were like.
I became familiar with the structure of the syllabus, the way eight-week classes were run and how long the individual classes lasted on an average night.
Also, I received one-on-one advice from my counselor.
Furthermore, it gave me a chance to interact with other students, though the majority were adults.
I enjoyed the adults’ company, because I found them serious in their goal to get an education.
Finally, I am glad that I took the classes because I was charged only $90 per credit hour, or $270 per three-credit-hour class.
The price at Troy/Wentzville is currently $95 per credit hour, which is a total of $285 per three-credit-hour class.
This is a huge reduction in price and saved my family a lot of money.
I found taking college classes while still in high school to be beneficial in more ways than one.
Triston Buckley 
Emily Retzer