Frisco ISD’s Class of 2026 is getting a head start on college by earning valuable credits — and even associate degrees — before graduating high school.
Through partnerships with Collin College and the University of North Texas, students are taking college-level courses while still in high school, building momentum toward their future degrees.
This year alone, seniors earned 798 college credit hours through UNT and an impressive 22,389 hours through Collin College — a significant jumpstart that can shorten time to degree completion.
Beyond academic preparation, these opportunities also provide meaningful cost savings. Students who complete 42 credit hours through UNT’s North Texas Now! program can save thousands compared to traditional university tuition, while dual-credit courses through Collin College are offered at the in-county rate for all participating students, regardless of where they live.
An impressive seven 2026 graduates earned associate degrees through Collin College:
Adisyn Flanner, Independence - Associate of Arts
Beckett Floyd, Lone Star - Associate of Science
Sadhana Guruprasad, Heritage - Associate of Arts, Criminal Justice Field of Study
Lexy Kendrick, Reedy - Associate of Arts
Omoafe Ojiefoh, Wakeland - Associate of Science
Vedha Pemmasani, Lebanon Trail - Associate of Science
Monique Thornton, Frisco - Associate of Arts
For seniors like Sadhana Guruprasad, who have big ambitions, earning an associate degree means getting started right away on their goals. Sadhana is planning a future career in law, so any chance to get ahead, she takes.
“With my associate degree, I can finish my government degree in two years and complete my masters (or a second major) before going to law school!” said Sadhana, who will attend the University of Texas. “It opens many opportunities for me.”
Her father, Guru Narayanaswamy, said that there’s another benefit to the associate degree.
“This helps not only Sadhana, but all students, gain confidence and real college experience early, which makes the transition to a university much smoother,” Guru said. “It also shows colleges and employers that the student is motivated and capable of handling advanced work.”
Sadhana has a message to students interested in pursuing an associate degree while in high school: “Go for it!”
“It's a wonderful opportunity, and I wish it was talked about more,” she said. “It takes time and effort, but it's not as hard as it seems, and I am so grateful I went for it.”
Another group of graduates completed the two-year, project-based learning program North Texas Now. Through the program, students earned 42 hours of college credit, also known as core complete. The following students also received awards during a UNT celebration:
Kate Kline-Glasgow - Student of the Year
Jasmine Jawhari - Academic Excellence
Khushi Vyas - Community Builder
Raeanne Howe - Spirit of Courage
Abdul-Wadood Ahmed - Team Player
Congratulations to all of these students who are starting college as juniors in the fall and heading to colleges all over the country.
UNT North Texas Now! graduates
Abdul-Wadood Ahmed - Heritage
Affaan Ahmed - Memorial
Sean Besefki - Frisco
Damian Contreras - Lone Star
Karen Doan - Frisco
Michelle Francis - Panther Creek
Emily Hamill - Lone Star
Keira Hedderick - Emerson
Raeanne Howe - Centennial
Jasmine Jawhari - Reedy
Hannah Johnson - Lone Star
Isabel Jones - Reedy
Ethan Kadivi - Reedy
Sonali Karani - Reedy
Kate Kline-Glasgow - Centennial
Christian Selmon - Lebanon Trail
Katie Solis - Lebanon Trail
Khushi Vya - Independence
Mia Ytuarte - Memorial
- Rachel McReynolds