Vail Early College enrollment opens as current students reflect on choices

TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — The transition from high school to college can be challenging for some.

But students in the Vail Unified School District have the opportunity to take college classes their senior year to prepare them for the change.

“We walk them through as much as we can and help them build the tools for their toolkit so they can just go to the next step of their life and just hit the ground running," said Raylee May, coordinator of Vail Early College.

The program costs just $50 for students interested.

They spend their Senior year attending courses at Pima Community College's East campus and take classes that transfer to four-year universities.

“You save the time, you save the money, you get a new experience, you kind of get to learn, like the real world skills that you need,” said Senior Jayden Livingston.

But more importantly, the students are able to adjust their learning styles in an environment where they are supported instead of heading straight to college.

They're getting constant contact with Vail staff members that are making sure they're learning the tools that they need to be successful when they go on to the four-year university on their own," said May.

And some seniors say they have had eye opening moments after just one semester.

“I slipped a little bit, but that's my own fault," said Senior Joshua Talamantes, "But after I picked up and realized, okay, I'm on my own, then that's when things started looking better.”

More information for Vail's early college program can be found on their website.