CSN High School is a duel-credit program offered by the College of Southern Nevada. The program’s goal is to provide a smooth transition for students going from high school to college. Students go for their junior and senior years of high schools and when they graduate not only do they get a diploma, they can also receive an Associates’s Degree.

CSN High School was created from an agreement between the College of Southern Nevada and the Clark County School District in 1996. To join the program all students need to do is complete a competitive application. CSN pays for twelve approved credits per semester, but additional fees like books and extra materials are charged to the student.

Junior Anna Spisak is currently attending CSN High School, having spent her first two years of high school here at Shadow Ridge. “I think that it’s a great program for anyone who is unsure of what to study or wanting to get ahead of college. I really like it, especially the opportunity that I have with being able to get ahead and figuring out what I want to do, it also helps that it will save money for me in the future,” said Spisak.

While the program does set high standards for its students and challenges them every day, they are incredibly supportive and do their best to make sure students get the help and support that they need.

“There is one counselor who looks over all of the high school students and students have two college counselors who work with the high school one. The high school counselor, Mrs. Greenberg, is very organized and  both students and parents always know what is going on and she makes sure that we are not struggling,” said Spisak.

To apply for this program students have to fill out the application, write handwritten essays, select the high school elective they would like to take and assemble the completed application. The only requirement while attending is that students have to take at least three college courses per semester.

“You can select when you have them and how many times that you meet per week. You can also pick classes that are only half a semester, but those are more stressful because of the condensed amount of time to do the same amount of work,” said Spisak.

“The benefits are getting a headstart in college by taking college classes alongside your high school classes, you can take Jumpstart programs for your high school classes, you get to save money on college in the long run, you have a much nicer high school schedule, right now I only have three high school classes. A drawback might be that it can be intimidating in the college classes in the beginning, because everyone is a lot older than you. It is also a very heavy ‘do it yourself’ program where your teachers and counselors will be there to help you, but help from a parent is discouraged,” said Spisak.