Seeking New Perspectives

South Texas College Dual Credit student Alyssa Galvan said she is grateful for the challenging, high-level concepts she’s facing in her college courses.

Galvan, a senior at the South Texas Independent School District Science Academy, said the Dual Credit program is also providing a smoother transition and significant cost savings for her upcoming college career.

“I really enjoy my dual courses and believe they will help me in the long run - especially financially because I already have those basic classes completed,” Galvan said. “But, the classes also allow me to have the freedom to explore different perspectives and an inside look into how college will be.”

STC offers over 150 unique dual credit courses taught by approved faculty from 21 partnering school districts.

One of the standout STC courses Galvan enrolled in was British Literature. She said she particularly appreciated the challenging content of the lessons, which included studying works of prose, poetry, drama and fiction in relation to their historical and cultural contexts.

“I have a better understanding of different types of English literature and a different perspective on how they affect us, culturally,” Galvan said. “I like that I’m given the freedom to branch out into other topics in a dual course that I wouldn’t be able to in a regular English class.”

She added that she has also enjoyed her Pre-Calculus and Calculus courses at STC and just completed her second Spanish class, as well.

Galvan said she’s also learned how to use college resources and technology, like Blackboard, through her STC classes. She feels she is better prepared for the transition into her future bachelor’s program after she graduates this spring.

“When I take a test or have to submit a paper, I actually have an understanding of how a college course is graded and how to turn them in on time,” Galvan said. “The classes have helped me build those skills and learn to be responsible for my own work.”

Galvan said she’s also proud to stay active with extracurricular activities while taking all her classes. She has participated in her high school’s Business Professionals of America (BPA) group for the past four years and is currently a club officer. Galvan and her Parliamentary Procedures teammates enjoyed exploring the STC Mid-Valley campus at a recent BPA competition.

“I started this whole BPA adventure my freshman year,” Galvan said. “It was a brand-new club for us. It helped build the team’s knowledge on parliamentary procedures and made me stronger at presentations.”

After her high school graduation, Galvan intends to pursue a bachelor’s degree in either civil engineering 17.2or biology with the goal of attending medical school.

“I really want to go the medical route,” Galvan said. “I want to be a doctor or a physician assistant.”

Galvan believes dual enrollment is achievable for any student, as long as they have the motivation to keep moving forward. She encourages prospective students to not be intimidated to take the leap.

“I would tell them to just think about their future,” Galvan said. “I recommend taking dual credit courses because they alleviate that financial cost for your family. But, I would also recommend taking the classes because they allow high school students to branch out into a different kind of education.