Ware Shoals Grad Readies for College with Dual Enrollment

Abby Pilgrim knows exactly what she wants to do with her future. And she knows the dual enrollment classes she took through Piedmont Technical College will help her get there.

The 2017 Ware Shoals High School graduate plans to head to Lander University in the fall. Her goal is to complete her bachelor’s degree in biology before moving on to the University of South Carolina for medical school. She has plans to become a pediatrician.

“I decided to take dual enrollment because I wanted to get a head start on college,” Pilgrim said. “I was hoping to shave off a year from my eight years of college.”

Pilgrim completed 19 hours while at Ware Shoals, taking four traditional classes and two classes online. Both types of classes provided her with unique experiences that she says will translate well when she enters a four year university.

“In my online classes, I met people who were both my age and older, so it helped me adjust to the variety of students,” Pilgrim said. “My regular classes were different from anything I’ve ever done. They challenged me and my classmates to learn in different ways.”

The digital learning environment and the set schedule of lessons were the biggest differences Pilgrim said she encountered. But she said those would be the two aspects that would help her the most.

“I feel like if I had gone from paper-and-pencil submissions to electronic submissions of all assignments, that would have been too much to get used to,” she said. “I think it’s also taught me to be more focused with how I study.”

Pilgrim said she would encourage anyone interested to try the dual enrollment classes, but to make sure they are confident in their ability to face the challenge.

“You have to think in your head that you can handle the pressure of college classes,” she said. “But, if you can, it will make the adjustment to the larger, more difficult classes at a four year university easier.”

For more information, contact the Dual Enrollment Office at (864) 941-8352 or go to www.ptc.edu/dualenrollment.