MINT HILL, NC – On Friday, June 16, Johnathon Stribling joined his peers in walking across the stage at Ovens Auditorium to receive his diploma from Queen’s Grant High School. Unlike his peers walking the stage, Johnathon already had a diploma in hand: a month prior, he received his associate’s degree from Central Piedmont Community College.
Johnathon was motivated to pursue his associate’s degree by his older sister, who participated in CPCC’s dual enrollment program while enrolled at Queen’s Grant. Dual Enrollment at Central Piedmont allows high school juniors and seniors with an unweighted GPA of at least 2.8 to enroll in college classes tuition free.
Because of the dual enrollment classes Johnathon’s sister took while enrolled at Queen’s Grant, she was recently able to graduate a semester early from Pfeiffer University. “She got a semester ahead even though she just did a few classes,” says Johnathon, “So I took it upon myself to say, ‘I’m going to one up you, and I’ll get my associate’s degree.’”
Earning his associate’s degree while still in high school means that Johnathon’s junior and senior years looked different than those of his peers. First semester junior year, he spent second, third and fourth periods on Queen’s Grant’s campus and filled out his schedule with a combination of in person and online classes at Central Piedmont. Senior year, the majority of his classes were through CP; in fact, he only came to the QG campus for choir. He also took classes at CP over the summer.
Taking so many dual enrollment classes wasn’t without challenges. Johnathan struggled with online learning through the pandemic and beyond. “I used to be an all-A student, an overachiever,” he says, “then I got moved to online classes, and that was a struggle, and then I started taking CP classes. They were purely online; I didn’t know the teacher, and I couldn’t have a personal connection. I started getting Bs and even Cs.”
Ultimately, Jonathan chose to focus his attention on earning his degree, even if his grades were slightly lower than he’d like. “It was hard,” he says, “but once I set my mind to something, I’m pretty stubborn. It’s not for everyone, and frankly there are still times where I wonder if it was the best choice for me!” he adds.
Obstacles aside, Johnathon’s choice paid off. On March 11, he received his associate’s degree in Fine Arts from CPCC. In the fall, he’ll pursue his BA at UNC-Greensboro, where he plans to major in theater and minor in education. He’s already contemplating a switch to UNC-G’s acting program – ultimately, Johnathon sees himself on the stage.
With a high weighted GPA and a strong activity resume, Johnathon is unsure how much impact his associate’s degree had on the college admissions process, but it will definitely impact his future. Earning an associate’s degree tuition free has already saved him thousands, and he’ll now be able to complete his BA faster with his associate’s already behind him.
