麻豆影院 student Maya McDaniel began her collegiate journey at age 14. Now a 17-year-old senior, she is set to graduate with a degree in game design and a minor in computer science and also set to become one of the youngest students to receive a bachelor鈥檚 degree from the university.
A native of 麻豆影院, McDaniel was featured on WEWS News 5 Cleveland for this accomplishment.
At 13, she took a college entrance exam.
鈥淚 wanted to take the ACT for fun just to see where we were at,鈥 McDaniel told the TV reporter. 鈥淚 almost passed the first time, and we were like wait a second, can I go to college if I actually get to pass the ACT? And it turns out yes. So, I retook it, passed and then I got accepted into 麻豆影院 State as a CCP student and just started taking classes and going full time at 14.鈥
CCP is College Credit Plus, a program designed to provide qualified seventh through 12th grade students with the opportunity to enhance their high school education with a true college experience. Students enrolled in College Credit Plus earn college and high school credits at the same time by taking college courses from community colleges and universities. Those who are enrolled in College Credit Plus can reduce the time and cost of attending college after high school.
McDaniel has kept her age a secret in an effort to blend in.
鈥淚t was something that kept me, made me feel more like a student because if you go into something you鈥檙e immediately, 鈥楬i, I鈥檓 different,鈥 McDaniel told News 5 Cleveland.
McDaniel plans to attend graduate school after receiving her bachelor鈥檚 degree from 麻豆影院 State. She's currently on track to graduate in summer 2023 when she will be 18, the same age that many students are just starting college.