Starting Early: Ricardo Luna’s Path to Success Through Dual Credit 

While many high school students are just beginning to think about college, Ricardo Luna is already well on his way toward achieving his career goals thanks to Texarkana College’s Dual Credit program and the completion of his associate degree.

For Ricardo, education has always represented opportunity, motivation, and a pathway toward a better future.

“My mother inspired me to take my education seriously,” Ricardo shared. “What has motivated me to stay focused and complete my degree is realizing that it will allow me a lot of opportunities in the future. Also, knowing that education can open doors for my future career.”

That determination helped Ricardo take full advantage of Texarkana College’s Dual Credit program, which allows high school students to earn college credits while completing their high school coursework. Through hard work and dedication, Ricardo accomplished something remarkable by completing his associate degree before even beginning college full-time.

“Texarkana College’s Dual Credit program has allowed me to challenge myself and get a jump start on my college degree,” he said.

Ricardo says one of the biggest benefits of the program has been the financial savings it provided his family while also preparing him for the next stage of his education.

“Some of the greatest benefits have been getting a preview of college life and saving my parents money,” Ricardo explained. “It has also helped me minimize future debt. The affordability of the dual credit program is awesome.”

For many students and families, Dual Credit provides an incredible opportunity to reduce future college expenses while gaining valuable college experience early. Students like Ricardo are able to enter a university ahead of schedule, often saving thousands of dollars in tuition and fees along the way.

Now, Ricardo is preparing for the next chapter of his journey. He plans to attend Texas A&M University–Texarkana and pursue a degree in business administration, with hopes of becoming a real estate appraiser in the future.

His advice for students considering Dual Credit is simple: take advantage of every opportunity available.

“I would advise students considering the dual credit program to get as many dual credit classes as they can,” Ricardo said. “Pursuing dual credit courses will help them save money and time.”

Texarkana College’s Dual Credit program gives high school students the opportunity to earn college credits early, reduce future college costs, and even complete an associate degree before graduation. For students like Ricardo Luna, Dual Credit is more than a head start. It is a pathway to opportunity, confidence, and future career success.