After spending more than thirty years as an educator, Steven Schell knows just how competitive the collegiate world can be for students. As an avid Penn State supporter and academic enrichment adviser at Schuylkill Valley High School in Leesport, Pennsylvania, Schell also knows that Penn State Online is one place where high school students can get a jump start on their college careers. "I'm always telling parents that their kids can do better; all they need to do is make them prepared."
Schell, a Penn State graduate, discovered Penn State Online about eight years ago through reading a parent e-mail newswire he received, while both of his sons were attending the University. He looked into other online education options, but it did not take him long to realize that Penn State's program could be helpful for his talented students, giving them an opportunity for the welcome challenge of a college course at an accredited university. He pitched the idea to the school board, and they agreed to pay for the Penn State courses. "It was much cheaper for them to pay for the World Campus classes than it was to hire more teachers to teach Advanced Placement classes," he explains.
Schell says that his high school students enjoy the experience of distance education courses; they can work on them in study hall, and the courses can be used no matter where the students decide to pursue their undergraduate education. "I haven't had a college yet that hasn't been able to transfer the credits," Schell says. His students also appreciate the experience of doing the same kind of course work they would do on a university campus, enabling them to enter college feeling better prepared for the heavier workload.
In addition to guiding students through their distance education courses, Schell encourages younger students, even those as young as ninth graders, to begin thinking about jump-starting their college careers. "It's never too early to begin mapping things out, especially with a gifted student who can handle a challenging workload," he says.
