Students of all kinds looking to move through courses quickier
Read more: Local, State, National, Education, John Wood Community College, Online, Accelerated Program
QUINCY, ILL. -- Whether traditional or non-traditional, students across the country are looking to get through college courses more quickly and community colleges are helping them do just that.
John Wood Community College, like many other community colleges, are offering accelerated programs to help students get into the job market sooner.
Vice President for Student Services at John Wood, Doctor John Letts, says some non-traditional students take either in class or online classes to broaden their options for job opportunities.
And some high schoolers also are enrolled at John Wood at the same time, giving them a head start on college courses.
"The key is, the student needs to be motivated, they need to have some good time management skills and be prepared to work hard. Because the bottom line is, whether you finish the class in four weeks, eight weeks or 16 weeks, you have to master same amount of material," said Dr. Letts.
KHQA's Jarod Wells sat down with a student of a John Wood accelerated program to weight the benefits.
Dana Golden said, "The accelerated program is perfect because I have a two year old, and I work full-time."
Dana Golden is enrolled in an accelerated online course on climate and meteorology. She wants to obtain a degree but doesn't want to take time away from her family.
Golden said, "Being able to get a class done in eight weeks, it's ideal, I don't have to worry about having that time away. Plus all of mine happen to be online, so I don't have to set foot in a classroom. I can do it in the middle of the night, I can do it during nap times, I can do it whenever is convenient for me."
Like many students, Dana Golden is just trying to gain an edge. This degree will give her a back up plan if for some reason she would have to look for another job, and the less time in school, the better.
Golden said, "It allows me to get my degree that much faster. It allows me to set an example for my son that education is important."
These accelerated programs aren't for everyone.
Golden said, "As long as you don't mind putting in the hard work, it's accelerated, so 8 weeks is fast, so you're going to go through a 16 week course in 8 weeks. So as long as you have the dedication to do it, it's not a problem."
Vice President of Student Services at John Wood, Doctor John Letts says the only downside he sees in accelerated courses is they don't leave much time for extra curricular activities.
But for non-traditional students like Dana Golden, they seem to be exactly what people are looking for.
