14-year-old to graduate from BPCC with associate’s degree

BOSSIER PARISH, La. (KSLA) - At just 14-years-old, most teens are making the often intimidating transition into high school, but for Isak Schmidley of Coushatta, he’s already preparing for college graduation.

14-year-old Schmidley will be soon graduating with his associate’s degree in general science from Bossier Parish Community College (BPCC) and he has his sights set on the future.

Schmidley plans to soon attend LSU Health Shreveport to begin a medical laboratory science program.

The impressive and inspiring teen is a dual enrollment student at BPCC and Country Day Montessori School in Coushatta. This means Schmidley began taking college courses at just 13.

“By the time I was in middle school, I was able to take high school level classes,” Schmidley explained. “My teachers felt like I should take the ACT to see how far I would be from college readiness.”

He took the ACT... and the rest is history.

“I think we were all surprised when I get the score back and I was eligible to take some college courses,” he added.

Schmidley spoke with KSLA about his aspirations for the future. He says it’s still a bit soon, but he’s considering a career in the medical field.

“I think it can be hard to see into the future, but I am taking it one step at a time,” Scmidley said. “I think the idea of gaining knowledge just really helps me and pushes me forward.”

Starting college can be a nerve-wracking experience, but Schmidley says the experience has actually helped him grow and mature in ways not found in textbooks.

“I’ve learned a lot of life lessons and the importance of time management, things people learn in college,” he said. “I think a lot of my classmates were really supportive of me and I think that helped make me feel more comfortable.”

Most importantly, Schmidley shares this piece of advice for anyone getting ready to take that momentous step into college:

“Focus more on learning the subject instead of just trying to get a grade,” Schmidley said. “If you learn well, the grade will come naturally.”

His next big test: learning how to drive.

Click here to learn about BPCC’s dual enrollment program.

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