When I heard about the Dual Credit program, it was the first time I’d ever heard about it, at the Dr. Bette Stephenson Centre for Learning. I came from Germany and didn’t know how the Canadian college system worked. From the program, I got to see if I could start college, manage my day, learn how a college class would be structured, what a campus looks like and what college expectations are. We also did our work and then got feedback, which was very helpful!

I want to motivate others who may not know what Dual Credit is to take advantage of this amazing opportunity and see the benefits it has to offer. I want to share the experience I had and share how Dual Credit helped me on my journey.

It helped me in the sense that I had a better understanding of how my college experience at Seneca could be and it helped me get accustomed with college expectations and available resources.

I learned how strict deadlines are and how to come prepared to lessons. Not like high school, where if you don’t read you can probably catch up, if you fall behind in college, it’s harder to catch up. I also learned how to manage my time better. I felt more confident knowing that the professor was always available for questions. It’s okay not to understanding everything, it’s okay to go back and ask questions. No one expects you to know everything from the first day, this makes you feel more secure, knowing you had this feedback. 

The Dual Credit team gave us such a nice introduction into the program, they made it so much fun. They showed us around the campus and told us where things were. Once you’re at the campus, it doesn’t feel as big anymore. Whenever I went there and needed assistance, everyone was so helpful. There is a feeling of being welcomed, and everyone wants to show you and help you get better.

You don’t feel like a little particle in a huge system. I would say to whoever is holding back — if you try it, it’s going to give you enough confidence to learn about yourself and see if you are able to manage going to college. It’s also a nice start to going to college since you get to make some connections ahead of time. The more people you know, the better. 

When I applied for the Dual Credit Bursary, I was so surprised to get $1,000 towards my studies. This is so great. It’s $1,000 towards your full-time tuition cost and you got it because you did this one course that benefitted you in so many ways; it showed you how college is and gave you valuable feedback from the professor. 

I was already looking to study at Seneca. Once I did Dual Credit, I was assured Seneca would be a good fit for me. I liked the atmosphere, its good people, and everyone was helpful. I liked the class sizes since they were not too large. I felt very comfortable with my choice and felt it was a good fit for me. 

The constant feedback with professors. Whenever I have a question and email a professor, they get back to us in a timely manner and you are not ignored. The communication back and forth makes you feel seen; you don’t feel lost. It’s hard when you don’t understand something but there’s always someone to reach out to if you need help.