Fast-Tracking Success: Exploring the Fast Track To and Through College Act

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Recently, Senator Maggie Hassan, a Democrat from New Hampshire, and Senator Todd Young, a Republican from Indiana, teamed up to introduce the Fast Track To and Through College Act. This bill will increase college completion and reduce college costs by redesigning the senior year of high school.

For many high school seniors “Senioritis” sets in and Fast Track rethinks senior year by offering students two Fast Track options: First, students could choose to take a full load of college courses that are equivalent to the freshman year of college.

As a result, they would graduate from high school with their freshman year of college under their belt. Then, a 2-year postsecondary degree will only take 1 year to complete, and a 4-year degree would only take 3-years to complete.

The second option is early graduation. Students ready to graduate at the end of 11th grade would be given the chance to graduate high school early and receive advising and a scholarship for college.

This legislation is important because 70% of jobs will require postsecondary education by 2031, but freshman enrollment for people 20 years old and younger is more than 5% below pre-pandemic levels.

The bill would amend the Higher Education Act, which, unfortunately, isn’t likely to move anytime soon.

However, by introducing the legislation now, Senators Hassan and Young are laying the groundwork for what’s to come.

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