According to Bay College student Micah Schultz, he did not start his college education at Bay. However, he said his first few months there have gone more smoothly than his previous attempt at college thanks to Bay’s in-person classes, considerate instructors, and other advantages.
After graduating from Chequamegon High School in Park Falls, WI in 2020, Micah started his college education at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. However, he eventually dropped out due to several factors, including difficulty adapting to online classes and a family medical issue.
“I was having a rough time learning online—when I had an opportunity to move back home, I just did,” he said.
In October 2023, Micah decided to give college another try.
“Earlier last year, I got my certification for personal training and strength and conditioning. As a result of that process, I realized that I enjoyed learning, so I spent some time just studying random topics. That led to an interest in a more formal version of the same thing—that is, college,” he said.
At the beginning of the Winter 2024 semester, Micah started studying at Bay College. He said his primary reason for choosing Bay was its closeness to his hometown.
“Not having a support system the first time I went to college was difficult and a mistake. Being somewhere where I had family and friends and was comfortable was important to me,” he said.
At Bay, Micah is majoring in pre-professional health. His interest in this field was sparked by Andrew Huberman.
“He’s a neurologist out of Stanford who puts out YouTube videos talking about recent research on health-related topics,” he said.
So far, Micah said his first semester at Bay has been a positive experience, though he did need to re-adjust to college life early on.
“The first six to eight weeks were rough, but I think I’ve kind of gotten into a groove,” he said.
Right now, Micah is taking nine of his 12 college credits in person. He said this has made college easier for him—and that the same is true of his teachers.
“I didn’t have the worst possible experience at UW-Oshkosh, but I remember being very intimidated by my instructors,” he said.
To get additional help with his studies, Micah also has a tutor through the TRIO Student Support Services Program.
Before he started studying at Bay, Micah was already going to the Northern Lights YMCA of Delta County five days a week. As a Bay student, he has enjoyed having an opportunity to use this facility for free.
“I was happy to drop the membership I was paying for when the semester started up,” he said.
Currently, Micah plans to complete his associate degree in pre-professional health at Bay.
“I will probably be here for four semesters after this one, or about two and a half years total,” he said.
Later on, Micah hopes to earn his bachelor’s degree in biochemistry.
“Eventually, I plan on transferring to a university. In a perfect world, I would go to medical school after that,” he said.
When he does start looking for a position in the field, he aims to work as a family practitioner.
“They have a unique opportunity to focus on preventative medicine, which is related to what I do as a personal trainer in some ways,” Micah said.
No matter what the future holds, Micah said he is happy that he restarted his college education at Bay.
“I’m glad I came here. I don’t think I would have found as much success at other places,” he said.