College Credit Plus gives students a head start

Four female students standing outside of a brick building

From left to right, Hannah Taylor, Lilianna Rickard, Rileigh Malone, Josie Kidd.

“I didn’t feel like a newbie,” Josie Kidd said. “I already knew people here. That was one reason I chose . I had friends and study partners, and I didn’t want to lose that.”

Kidd is one of four Bachelor of Science in Nursing students whose path to OHIO Southern began in College Credit Plus (CC+), the statewide option that lets eligible students earn university credit while meeting high school requirements. Along with classmates Rileigh Malone, Lilianna Rickard and Hannah Taylor, she arrived with a head start and a realistic sense of what college demands.

“The nursing pathway through College Credit Plus opens doors for driven high school students who want to start their nursing careers sooner,” said Dr. Michelle Theiss, associate director of nursing at ��Ƶ Southern.

For these students, the door opened early and in different ways.

Kidd is a South Point High School graduate. She started her first year of high school at Rock Hill, where a counselor helped her map out four years and sequence prerequisites in the right order.

Malone graduated from Tri-State STEM+M High School after attending Ironton High School freshman year. She said the structure made the college pace feel familiar from day one.

Rickard graduated from Fairland High School and said CC+ was her first lesson in the independence college requires.

Taylor also graduated from Fairland High School and remembers CC+ as a practical on-ramp that challenged her in a good way.

“My sophomore year was set up so each semester equaled a full year of high school,” Malone said. “I began prerequisites junior year and finished them senior year. You cannot cram the morning of an exam. You plan your time and study ahead.”

“In high school, teachers remind you about every deadline,” Rickard said. “In college, you keep your own calendar, meet expectations and ask for help early. CC+ was the first step toward that.”

“It is a great way to start,” Taylor said. “If you set aside time to study, you can do well. I also suggest taking the early nursing course that teaches the language of the field. It helps you understand what is ahead.”

OHIO faculty made the transition to college much easier

“Our professors live here and know our names,” Kidd said. “They are supportive and expect a lot, and they meet you in office hours to help you get there.” Students pointed to posted lecture slides and regular exam review times as safety nets that help them master difficult material.

“If you miss something in lecture, you can go back to the slides and study it,” Kidd said.

Coursework sealed their choice of major.

“Pathophysiology is hard, and I love it,” Kidd said. “Anatomy was challenging and rewarding. It made me feel accomplished and sure about nursing.”

Malone agreed. “Anatomy was tough, but it was enjoyable to learn.”

They also noticed that CC+ softened the first semester compared with peers who skipped it.

“I know people who went straight from high school to college and they are already struggling,” Malone said. “CC+ prepares you because it is not the same as high school. It is a different ballpark.”

The practical benefits extend beyond confidence

“During the school year there was no cost for tuition, books or fees,” Rickard said. “I only paid out of pocket for a summer chemistry class. When you add up the classes I took through CC+, it is thousands of dollars saved.” With prerequisites in place, the group said they could move more quickly into nursing courses.

Their plans are already taking shape. Malone is drawn to emergency medicine and hopes to pursue a paid nurse extern role at a hospital. Kidd is considering the NICU and graduate study after time at the bedside. Rickard wants to build experience locally, then explore travel nursing. Taylor is already working as a nurse extern and says the role complements clinicals without replacing them.

Campus leaders see the same momentum.

“Through ��Ƶ’s College Credit Plus partnerships, these students earned college credits while still in high school, gaining valuable experience, academic confidence and a head start toward their degrees,” said Robert Pleasant, director of Student Services at OHIO Southern. “The College Credit Plus program not only gives students a head start academically, it also saves families thousands of dollars in tuition and fees. That kind of support can make the difference between wondering if college is possible and knowing it is within reach.”

He added that these students show what happens when ambition meets opportunity and that partnerships with local schools continue to open life changing doors for CC+ students who choose to stay and thrive as full time Bobcats.

Advice for high school students preparing for CC+

Asked what they would tell a high school student who is unsure about that first college class, the advice is steady.

“Start with one course and build from there,” Taylor said. “Create a study calendar and use tutoring and office hours.”

Malone added a reminder about community. “Find classmates who will study with you. Talk to someone a year ahead and borrow their strategies.”

Kidd focused on mindset. “Be realistic about your grades, learn from each exam and keep going,” she said. “Progress looks like that.”

For Kidd, Malone, Rickard and Taylor, CC+ did more than shorten a timeline. It offered a community to enter, a rhythm to follow and a clear path into a profession that values both compassion and skill. They started ahead. Now they are moving with purpose.

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