Cove High student discovers career path through Central Texas College courses

KILLEEN, TEXAS (May 19, 2025) — Copperas Cove High School senior Allison Crawley will soon cross the stage to receive her high school diploma—an achievement made even more impressive by the fact that she’s already a college graduate. Crawley earned her associate’s degree from Central Texas College last Friday, a milestone that highlights her dedication both in the classroom and as a student-athlete.

Crawley said she chose to major in Business after discovering a passion for the subject through her dual credit courses, discovering a love for business.

“I ruled out several other majors after taking courses at CTC and realized those fields were not exciting to me,” Crawley said. “Also, my grandmother really encouraged me to look at accounting because she thought I might like that field. After taking two accounting classes at CTC, I realized I do like accounting, but general business management was more interesting to me than the accounting side of the business pathway.”

Crawley said earning her associate’s degree while still in high school puts her on track to earn a Master’s degree—all within the traditional four-year college timeline. Beyond academics, she said the experience also provided valuable lessons outside the classroom.

“Attending CTC gave me a true on campus college experience while I was still able to do all the things a typical high school student would do,” Crawley said. “I was a 3-sport varsity athlete playing volleyball, soccer, and golf, and student council president all the while I was attending CTC face-to-face, four hours per day. We had a lot of responsibility to make sure we got to all of our classes.

“The freedom we experienced on the CTC campus and how nice the facilities are on the CTC campus really surprised me. We could eat lunch and have many more options. It was also much different to be in classes with adults and college students at the same time. There are so many high school students now enrolled at CTC that there were quite a few of us there.”

After completing her Bachelor’s degree in Business, Crawley plans to pursue a Master’s in Business Administration. She encourages other students to take advantage of opportunities like those offered through Central Texas College, whether they’re aiming to earn college credits or a professional certification.

“Don't procrastinate. Try to learn as much as you can in the early classes because they build on each other,” Crawley said. “Talk to the people around you and ask a lot of questions if you do not understand things. Take advantage of the professors’ office hours and get help. Don't wait.”