Since high school, Stephen Kruse has had two things on his radar: politics and the military. Attending Arkansas State University-Mountain Home not only allowed him to stay close to home, but also to pursue his goals by majoring in political science and soon minoring in military science.

Smaller classes at ASUMH promote better professional relationships between students and teachers, which even landed Stephen the chance to speak to Supreme Court Justice Antoine Scalia and retired Judge Charles Pickering, who served on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. All of these opportunities combine to make ASUMH the perfect place for Stephen to achieve his dream of being a successful politician and philanthropist.

Why did you choose a degree center over other options?
I chose my program because, even though ASUMH doesn’t really have a lot of political science classes, they set me on the right track for when I transfer to a four-year university.

How are you making college work financially?
I currently pay nothing for college due to my scholarships at ASUMH (as long as I maintain a pretty good GPA).

What did you do in high school to prepare for college coursework?
In high school, even after I met the requirements to graduate, I kept taking more classes to get ready for college. For example, I took extra science and math classes, and college Comp 1 and 2 the summer going into my senior year.

What do you wish you had known about college classes?
I wish I would have known how independent you are! No one is going to be there to remind you that you have an essay or discussion board due. It’s literally all on you to check your assignments and due dates.

This option is for you if:

• You’d like to stay close to home
• You prefer smaller classes
• You want a bachelor’s, but don’t care about having the “traditional” college experience

PROGRAM DETAILS
A university center or degree center is the partnership between a two-year college and a four-year university that allows students to get selected bachelor’s degrees through the two-year college. Classes are taught by four-year university professors on the two-year school’s campus or via video. If you’d like to pursue a four-year degree, but can’t get to such a campus, this option might be for you.

COST
You’ll pay tuition to the four-year university you’re enrolled with. Generally, classes cost the same as they would if you attended the school traditionally. However, you’ll still save some money by not having room and board fees.

ADMISSIONS
Usually, a student must receive an associate degree from the two-year school, apply for and gain admission to the partnering four-year university and then enroll in classes from the four-year university, but attend them at the two-year school’s campus.

HOUSING
You’re on your own here; no housing provided.