According to the U.S. Department of Education, only 60% of college students will graduate after 4 years and earn their degree, and an average of 80% of high school students will earn their diploma.  Knowing this, imagine the amount of rigor it requires to graduate from just one of the above.  Now, imagine graduating from both high school and college – at almost the same time.  In May of 2017, Ryan Karasopoulos is set to earn his high school diploma, along with a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from the University of Colorado in Colorado Springs.  

Coronado provides students with many opportunities to earn college credits while attending high school.  These programs include CU Gold and CU Platinum, which allow students to earn college credits from the Colorado University system.  These credits are transferable to most colleges across the United States.  The school also offers AP courses that are taken on Coronado’s campus. AP classes are equivalent to college classes and the district pays for them, saving students a few bucks in the future.  

Karasopoulos has taken advantage of many of these programs, and has also utilized classes at UCCS once he surpassed the level of math taught at Coronado.   

“I’ve put quite a bit of work into school the last four years, especially in my math classes.  After taking Calc 3 my freshman year, I started taking math classes at UCCS, which proved to be a lot more difficult, and required a lot more effort” said Karasopoulos.  

Despite the accomplishments that he has already achieved, Karasopoulos still has prestigious goals for the future: “I plan on pursuing a graduate-level degree in the sciences, though I’m unsure as to which discipline.  As more of a side hobby, I want to be a writer.  I enjoy the creative process of writing to communicate large ideas, and I definitely plan on continuing this passion into the future.”  This last semester, Karasopoulos applied to several schools other than UCCS to explore his options and reach new heights.                                                                                                                                                  
Coronado strives to give students opportunities that guide them towards their goals (like CU Gold and AP programs), and it is always satisfying to hear of a student’s success.  Good luck to Ryan and his successful future and to all of our Cougars as they continue on their academic journey.