From High School to Paralegal: Interview With an Online College Graduate

It’s an exciting time as we celebrate our Graduate of the Year, Haley Yegorov!

Each year, we invite recent graduates from schools like Ashworth College, Penn Foster, and James Madison High School to submit their stories and tell us about their journey to earn their diploma or degree in our Graduate of the Year Contest. We review hundreds of inspirational stories to find our finalists and winners for each school, who are selected by a committee of Penn Foster Group employees and instructors.

Among our recent graduates, Haley was chosen from over 100 impressive submissions for his outstanding achievements and dedication. Let’s learn more about Haley and his journey from online high school graduate to his current career.

Read more: Your Guide to the Easiest Degrees to Get Online

AW: Haley, what made you choose Ashworth College?

Haley: I chose Ashworth because I was familiar with the system already. I was a graduate of James Madison High School, which also used the same system as Ashworth. It was very convenient for me, and I thought to myself, since it was so easy to use, I should just go for Ashworth.

AW: Did you also enjoy your time at James Madison High School?

Haley: I did. The ease of being able to do it whenever I wanted was great. I wasn’t restricted by a certain time period.

AW: What made you choose the criminal justice program?

Haley: I looked through Ashworth's programs and picked the one that resonated most with me. The curriculum seemed interesting, and since I was looking for a career in this field anyway, I thought I might as well study something similar.

AW: What was your favorite part about the program?

Haley: Definitely the electives. They were tailored to legal studies, but I could really have chosen anything. I picked electives like court law, legal research, and writing, which helped me a lot.

AW: Do you feel like you were able to customize your learning experience?

Haley: Absolutely. I learned criminal law for the program but could also dip into civil law, which was unrelated to the degree but fantastic for what I wanted to do.

AW: What are you doing now?

Haley: Right now, I’m employed as a paralegal at a law firm. I do civil law mostly. Even though my criminal law studies didn’t directly apply, I learned to write, read cases, and really understand the topic better, which definitely helped out.

AW: Did your degree program set you up for success in your current role?

Haley: Absolutely. The sequence of lessons was very good, from basics to more advanced topics, and it was easy to follow. The gradual progression of difficulty definitely set me up for success.

AW: Was there anything you didn’t like about the program?

Haley: Maybe more varied assignments would have been nice. The assignments followed a similar structure, and while the topics were new, the format was very similar. It could get a little monotonous.

AW: What motivated you to keep going through your degree program?

Haley: I really loved the topic, but a significant motivator was that I was looking for employment with the police department, which required 60 college credits. That pushed me to keep moving forward and not put things off.

AW: What motivated you to keep going through your degree program?

Haley: I really loved the topic, but a significant motivator was that I was looking for employment with the police department, which required 60 college credits. That pushed me to keep moving forward and not put things off.

AW: Do you think having a goal in mind helped keep you motivated?

Haley: Definitely. Without a goal, it would have been very difficult. Most people do this with a goal in mind.

AW: Did you feel supported as a student, especially if you had questions?

Haley: Yes, I sent many tickets and they were all responded to. I usually called as well because someone would always pick up, so I could get my questions answered.

AW: Do you have any tips or advice for anyone considering enrolling at Ashworth or specifically in the criminology program?

Haley: My biggest piece of advice is to branch out and dig deeper into things you find interesting. Don’t just limit yourself to the information provided by Ashworth—research topics on your own. It’ll always give you more and help in your courses.

Earning your associate’s, bachelor’s, or certificate online with Ashworth College can open doors to your dream job, offer an alternative to traditional colleges, and boost your future earnings. If our Graduate of the Year Haley has inspired you, request more info or contact our Admissions Team at 1-800-957-5412 to learn more about our degree and certificate programs.