For many students, this fall semester will be the first time they step inside a college classroom, but for Georgia native NeeAli Scott, that won’t be the case. This past May, Scott earned her an associate’s degree from Savannah State University a month before she graduated high school. Scott was enrolled in a Dual Enrollment program at the HBCU.
The then-17-year-old student earned an associate of science degree from Savannah State before graduating from Savannah Arts Academy. Scott was able to achieve this major accomplishment all while balancing her accelerated college classes, high school classes, extracurricular activities, and a job at the Savannah Frank Callen Boys and Girls Club. Scott graduated with honors for both degrees.
According to the Georgia Department of Education, the Dual Enrollment program in Georgia allows students to receive financial aid for their first 30 semester hours of college credits. Scott was able to finish the first half of her associate degree classes at no cost. Scott says that this was an opportunity she simply could not miss. “I really just wanted to get as much education—a college education—as I can now for free,” she said.
Scott’s job at the Boys and Girls Club even recognized her for her high achievements. She was named “Youth of the Year.” Scott worked at the Boys and Girls after school before dance rehearsal at Kelly and Company Studios. If her load wasn’t already full enough, Scott also dances competitively.
At the time, Scott hadn’t decided where she wanted to attend school but knew an HBCU was her number one choice. Scott had already been accepted into nine schools: Clark Atlanta, Florida A&M, Georgia State, Mercer, Howard, NCAT, Penn State, Rutgers, and the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
Scotts wants to become a cardiothoracic surgeon and work in an inner city to give back to the youth, whether it be Savannah or wherever life takes her.
Both Scott and her mother, Sabrina Scott, took to Instagram to boast about her accomplishments back in May.
“Today my baby did her BIG one!! She’s OFFICIALLY a Savannah State University Graduate at 17 years old,” she wrote. “She just graduated from College before graduating from High School.”
“I didn’t let all the odds that was stacked against my 2lb micro-preemie affect how I knew my GOD would work in her life. GOD DID just that and today NeeAli graduated from SSU with her Associate Of Science Degree! 🙌🏽,” she added. “Congratulations NeeAli Scott for being an amazing kid!! We ❤️ you!”
“Big thanks to my entire village and everyone that celebrated this milestone with her. ❤️,” she said.
“Don’t really know how i did it but hey i just graduated high school and college with honors 🎓” Scott wrote in a post on Instagram.
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