Dana Ibarra, a senior majoring in psychological science, enrolled at Ball State University with 32 credits from Ivy Tech, knocking out many of the general education courses she would have had to take on campus. By completing these dual-credit courses and the Indiana College Core (ICC) while still in high school, Ibarra significantly accelerated her academic journey at Ball State University.

Ibarra said she was fonder of the dual credit option than the AP courses offered at her high school because the credits were more guaranteed. Earning 32 credits through Ivy Tech allowed her to delve into her major immediately upon entering college.

“It was a little bit difficult at first, just because someone coming out of high school taking a 300-level course is a really big change. At the same time, I feel like it really jumped me in and set me into the college setting,” Ibarra said.

This early exposure to college-level course work saved Ibarra time and money and gave her valuable experiences. Instead of graduating early, Ibarra decided to opt for the opportunity to participate in high-impact practices. This included working in the psychology department’s psychopathology lab, peer mentoring, and teaching assistant roles.

21^st Century Scholars

The 21^st Century Scholars program emphasizes college preparedness, specifically with events like College Go Week. With the unwavering support from her dual credit counselor, Ibarra knew that being a dual credit student and a 21^st. Century Scholar would bring her security school-wise.

“Every time I talked with my dual credit counselor, she encouraged all her students to attend college. She was an alumnus of Ball State, so I felt really encouraged. [21^st Century Scholars] were good with first-generation students and gave us the unique support we needed,” Ibarra said.

A Valuable Internship

One opportunity that arose from not graduating early was an internship at Delta High School. Ibarra assisted students with post-secondary tasks like scholarships, college applications, and dual credit.

“I got to share with students about my experience and where I sat when I was an intern. I was a junior [at the time], so I gave them my perspective and how easy it was for me to transition from high school to college because of the ICC (Indiana College Core),” Ibarra said. “It was like giving back to what I received in high school. I took it as an opportunity to gain new experiences that would help me, especially as I move forward into grad school.”

The internship solidified Ibarra’s career aspirations in school counseling and equipped her with essential skills.

“Initially, when I went in, I knew that I wanted to do something within counseling, and as someone who really enjoyed adolescent development or child development, I knew that I wanted to work in a job where I would be working with that specific age group,” Ibarra said. “I really liked working at Delta High School. I think it only pushed my ambition of wanting to be in school counseling, or at least, school psychology.”

Overcoming Limitations

Ibarra’s advice to prospective high school students is clear. “It’s definitely an opportunity you don’t want to miss out on. Even though I grew up low income and everything felt so limited, I felt like I could do anything as soon as everything came into place,” Ibarra said.

The combination of dual credits and the 21^st Century Scholars program opened doors for Ibarra, demonstrating the immense potential for high school students to achieve academic and personal success.

“As someone who was hesitant about even leaving home or going to a college that was farther away, knowing that the security of my credits and funding for it made it like a free-for-all, like I could go wherever and do whatever I wanted,” Ibarra said. “The possibilities were endless, and there was always support.”