Running start is a program that allows students to earn college credit while still attending high school. Students at LSHS can participate through Everett Community College, where they can either take all of their classes, or take some at EvCC and some at LSHS.

Doing Running Start and taking college classes while in high school can allow students to not have to take those classes later on at a four-year university. Students who take all of their classes their junior and senior years of high school at EvCC are able to graduate from high school with an associate’s degree, and depending on what college they choose to go to afterwards, they may be able to transfer their credits and get their bachelor’s degree after only spending two years at a 4-year university.

ORCA, or Ocean Research College Academy, is another program similar to Running Start that allows students to earn college credits while in high school; however, ORCA classes focus on the aquatic environment near their campus at the Everett Waterfront as a way to give hands-on instruction.

“I have so enjoyed my experience with ORCA. It really opened a lot of doors for me, and provided me with the experience to understand what I wanted to do,” former ORCA student Brijonnay Madrigal said in an EvCC video.

With how expensive college has become over the past few decades, affordability of higher education is another thing that many students worry about. Fortunately, EvCC covers the cost of tuition up to 15 credits per quarter, meaning that students only have to cover the cost of class fees and textbooks.

As a result, students who earn their associates degree in high school and transfer their credits to a four-year university could end up paying half as much as they would if they didn’t participate in either the Running Start or ORCA programs.

While the Running Start and ORCA programs are both cost effective ways for students to earn college credit while in high school, college level classes move at a faster pace than normal high school classes and can be difficult. There may also be a larger workload associated with them when compared to normal high school classes.

“I would recommend ORCA to anyone that really wants big risk course work and a hands-on learning experience,” Madrigal said.

Even though classes taken through EvCC tend to be more difficult than normal high school classes, students only have to take three classes per quarter to be considered full-time Running Start students.

This helps balance out the increased workload and faster pace of EvCC classes; however, the Running Start and ORCA programs are still generally considered to be more difficult than a normal high school schedule.

Since Running Start classes are taken through EvCC, most Running Start students will have to commute to the EvCC campus, unless they are taking all of their Running Start classes online. This may cause difficulties for some students who either don’t have a driver’s license, or don’t have reliable access to a car since they may not be able to consistently get to the EvCC campus. This same issue also applies to the ORCA program and its campus at the Everett Waterfront.

The Running Start program also gives students more responsibility. Running Start students, like normal college students, are completely responsible for their own grades, as well as staying on top of important dates like registration deadlines.

While EvCC will send occasional emails reminding students of these important dates, it is up to the students themselves to actually register for classes, and in the case of Running Start students, turn in the Running Start Enrollment Verification form, which is a form that Running Start students must fill out with their counselor to ensure that the student is taking the classes necessary to graduate.

Overall, the Running Start and ORCA programs are great for students who want to earn college credits while in high school and who don’t mind putting in some extra work; however, it may not be the best option for students who don’t want the extra challenge or added responsibilities of college classes. For students who are interested in Running Start, the application priority deadline for fall quarter is May 2, with ORCA applications due on the same day.