Early college was only for the ambitious kids when I was growing up. It came with so many hoops and hurdles plus long drives through Ogden and Dee Events Center shuttles that only a few took advantage. It just wasn’t practical. As I begin the process with my 16-year-old, I’ve seen firsthand how the Northern Utah Academy of Math, Engineering and Science (NUAMES) has it down to… a science. NUAMES is consistently recognized as one of the top public charter schools in the state, with campuses located at Weber State’s Layton and Ogden facilities. Scarlett, my daughter, targeted NUAMES as early as seventh grade, knowing her fate lay in STEM.

This week, Scarlett was accepted as a student at Weber State University, a moment that took me back to when I got my own acceptance letter in the mail. Getting into Weber felt like loosening the chokehold of uncertainty around my neck, if only by a finger, as I worried about life after high school. With WSU, I had options of pursuing any future I wanted for myself. Knowing my teen has access to the entire class catalog at one of the state’s biggest institutions fills me up with indefatigable pride for my alma matter and her future — something that’s hard to come by in the current climate, especially when you factor in the climbing tuition costs.

Nestled in the cozy delusion we could save for our kids’ college education as well as pay for daily life, we budgeted as only graduates of Dave Ramsey Financial Peace University would understand. Each year as our ages ticked up, the bills piled up, tuition increased and saving depleted. Incredibly, it cost me a meager $2,000 a year to be a full-time Wildcat. Now it’s about six grand for a full time student. Cost savings from early college make it an asset for northern Utah families who take advantage. Savings start with concurrent enrollment, a program found in most Utah schools whether in person or online. My NUAMES student pays a few bucks for concurrent enrollment class only to earn college credit. For early college, NUAMES partnered with Weber State, offering scholarships to students with a good GPA and ACT score. Brass tacks, we end up paying for books and fees only, saving our family thousands of dollars. Dollars we need since the grocery store doesn’t really offer a scholarship program.

This opportunity also prepares students for the realities of college life, regardless of whether they finish their degree at WSU or transfer to different colleges around the country. From navigating the entire Weber campus to learning the stops of UTA’s OGX, I’ve seen firsthand how this taste of independence pushes students out of their comfort zone. The intensity of college courses sets the expectations early on in these students’ academic careers so in the end they may have a vivid picture of what they want to study saving time and money — it’s always about the money.  Early college classes are a part of high school curriculum, allowing for many to count toward both high school credit and university. Next year, when she tackles her life science credit for an associate, it can also count as a science credit at NUAMES.

Things can quickly become complicated when navigating both worlds, I barely survived high school and I blossomed as a cynic of the bureaucracy of higher ed. Schools like NUAMES must have a strong councilor’s office to direct the student body to appropriate classes while staying aware of important deadlines. What good is early college if you don’t know the timing or requirements to meet that associate degree goal? We’ve met with Scarlett’s high school counselor; now, we’re trying to organize a date to meet up with her “high school dual enrollment” counselor, who acts as a mediator between WSU and NUAMES. With hundreds of classes to choose from and the sincere belief the world is her oyster, the possibilities are seemingly endless. With the ever-changing curriculum landscape, especially in Utah where the Legislature forgets their aptitude, counselors must be attentive. School counselors can easily make or break the future of a high school student whether it be the search for scholarship or scheduling the proper class, avoiding the dangerous pitfall of wasted credits.

Northern Utah has so many opportunities for our students. If it isn’t NUAMES and WSU, it’s Ogden School District and OTECH or InTech Collegiate Academy and Cache Valley. The opportunity is out there for any students who want to achieve. It’s a good day when I don’t have to bleed green so Scarlett can bleed purple. Go Wildcats!

Meg Sanders worked in broadcast journalism for over a decade but has since turned her life around to stay closer to home in Ogden. Her three children keep her indentured as a taxi driver, stylist and sanitation worker. In her free time, she likes to read, write, lift weights and go to concerts with her husband of 18 years.