Taking College Classes in High School: Benefits and Requirements

High school students often feel a natural urge to get a head start on their college education. Dual enrollment programs offer a fantastic opportunity to do just that, saving them money and time. Virtually all high schools today offer multiple avenues for earning college credits early, making it a worthwhile endeavor for many.

What is Dual Enrollment?

Dual enrollment signifies a student's participation in college courses and the acquisition of college-level credits while still enrolled in high school. Think of it as getting a sneak peek at college life. Dual credit is a special type of dual enrollment where you get credit for both high school and college at the same time. These programs allow students to get a head start on higher education, focus on academic rigor, and potentially save thousands in the long run. State agencies, such as the state’s department of education, typically run the dual enrollment program.

How Dual Enrollment Works

Dual enrollment programs operate differently depending on the location, as each school district and state establishes its own rules and procedures. Schools offer dual enrollment programs in different ways. Some are completed through your high school, others might partner with local community colleges, and some are even available online. Each of these options comes with different benefits and things to think about.

Benefits of Dual Enrollment

There are a multitude of reasons why a high school student might consider dual enrollment.

Financial Savings

Students who take college courses in high school pay much less per credit than they would at a community college or 4-year school. You might pay as little as $150 to attend while you’re in high school. The cost of college credits can vary widely, from an average of over $1,000 at a four-year private university to less than $150 at a two-year college, with an overall average cost of about $600 per credit (source: studentloanhero.com). While earning college credits while still in high school may have some costs associated with it, they are mainly incidental charges (such as a fee to take an advanced placement test) compared with the cost of paying tuition at a two or four-year college. Simply put, college credits you earn in high school are credits you don’t have to pay for once you enroll in college. Take enough classes and you could end up saving thousands.

Read also: Community College Guide

Indiana’s Commission on Higher Education found that earning college credit in high school saved Indiana students roughly $82 million in potential tuition costs in 2018. Additionally, dual credit helped save the state of Indiana approximately $78 million in appropriations.

Accelerated Graduation

It is possible to earn enough college credits while still in high school to finish college a semester or two early, maximizing savings. Time is money! One of the reasons for high college costs and student loan debt is the time it takes to complete a degree. However, in most cases, even students with a lot of college credits earned in high school will find it difficult to cut semesters off their time in college.

Enhanced College Admissions Chances

Colleges love to see students challenge themselves. If you are hoping for admission to a college or program where standards are high and competition is fierce, having already earned college credits can make a big difference. It shows not only your strong abilities, but initiative and good planning. You could have high college acceptance chances.

Scholarship Opportunities

With higher academic rigor and demonstrated academic ability, you could potentially increase your chances of winning scholarships and grants. You might win more scholarships.

Exploration of Interests

Enrolling in dual enrollment courses allows you to participate in classes beyond the standard high school curriculum, helping you to explore personal interests. You have more time to explore your interests.

Read also: College SAT Deadlines

Reduced College Stress

The strategy also allows college students to reduce their stress levels.

Academic Benefits

Fewer classes to graduate college. Does taking college classes in high school help students academically? Many schools offer additional grade points for college-level courses, which can be helpful when it comes to improving your class rank.

Dual Enrollment vs. AP Classes

At the end of an AP class, you have to take a test. If you score a 4 or 5, you’ll receive 1:1 college credit for the class. If you score a 3, you might receive elective credit. You’ll receive no credit for a 1 or 2. However, you technically don’t have to take the class to take the exam! In dual enrollment courses, as long as you have a C or better, you’ll receive credit for the course. If you’re given the opportunity and you have the desire, you should absolutely take dual enrollment classes.

Requirements for Dual Enrollment Programs

Availability and eligibility depend on the state, your school district, and the participating college. Dual enrollment requirements vary from state to state. Colleges often measure if students are ready for the challenge of college-level classes through placement tests or standardized testing.

GPA

Students generally have to demonstrate they can handle the academic rigor. As a result, these programs usually require a minimum GPA.

Age

Most students enrolled in these programs are high school students, though there are some exceptions. While New York’s program is only open to high school students, Florida allows 6th through 12th grade students to take the classes.

Number of Classes

Your high school or the college might also restrict the number of dual enrollment classes you can take each year.

Standardized Tests

Some programs ask for specific scores on tests like the ACT or SAT.

What Dual Enrollment Courses to Take

The exact courses available depend on the college. When you're picking courses for dual enrollment, focusing on core subjects like English, math, and science is a smart move. These core courses are more widely accepted and match the general education requirements at many schools.

English: Most high schools offer at least College English 101 and 102. Since colleges require you to take these two courses during your first year, it’s a great opportunity to get them out of the way.
Math: Common classes include Calculus, Algebra, and Trigonometry.
Foreign Language: Colleges often list foreign language courses as part of their general education requirements.
Science: Colleges require both science and science with laboratory courses for graduation. When selecting dual enrollment courses, keep the college’s general education requirements in mind.

Who Teaches Dual Enrollment Courses?

Typically, dual enrollment courses are taught by college instructors and can take place on a college campus, at your high school, or online.

Receiving Credit for Dual Enrollment Courses

Just to be clear, earning college credit while still in high school is exactly that. You don’t earn college credit by taking a high school class. It doesn’t work that way. To pass college classes taught in high school, you must demonstrate the same competencies as college students. Earning those first college credits in a high school setting enables you to learn not only advanced material, but also how well you are able to handle the additional rigor of college-level studies. Issues like time management, and balancing studies with social and family life will become larger issues.

Duration of Dual Enrollment Courses

Dual Enrollment in High School: If these classes are offered at your high school, they'll typically follow the same semester or academic year schedule as your other classes.
Dual Enrollment at College/University: When you take dual enrollment classes directly at a college or university (or online), they usually stick to the college's semester system.

Cost of Dual Enrollment Courses

Dual Enrollment at College/University: There could be some tuition fees when you take these classes at a college or university (or online). But the good news is that these fees are usually less than those regular college students pay.

Potential Drawbacks

Taking college-level courses through dual enrollment can be enriching, but it may also bring increased academic demands and a heavier workload. These college-level courses require more time and effort, which might make it tougher to balance with your extracurricular activities. It's important to consider whether you can manage this additional workload and how it could impact your other commitments.

When considering dual enrollment, it's important to remember that transferring these early-earned college credits to a university can vary based on the school's dual enrollment program policies.

Research Supporting Dual Enrollment

There are a large number of research studies at both the national and state level reinforcing these positive outcomes for students. In June 2022, a group of dual enrollment researchers and policy and practice leaders released Research Priorities for Advancing Equitable Dual Enrollment Policy and Practice, which provides the most up to date look at dual enrollment research and outlines a number of research questions that still need to be answered. The research is clear: dual enrollment is an evidence-based practice that has broad positive impacts on student outcomes, including college enrollment and completion. It is prevalent nationwide, and widely supported by students, parents, and education policymakers and practitioners.

There is strong evidence that college in high school programs like dual enrollment, concurrent enrollment, and early college high school improve college transitions, persistence, and completion, especially for students traditionally underrepresented in higher education. Collectively, these studies show positive, statistically significant effects when high school students complete college courses, even after controlling for prior academic achievement and demographic variables.

In 2017, the What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) reviewed dozens of dual enrollment studies against their strict criteria and found a medium-to-large evidence base that shows positive impacts on high school graduation, college enrollment, persistence in college, and completion of college from participating in dual enrollment. Early College students were more likely than their peers to go to college and earn a degree.

A growing body of research shows that college in high school programs have the biggest impact on students of color and low-income students, including a dual enrollment study released in the summer of 2020 and data from Massachusetts’ early college high schools. In addition, the early college high school model has demonstrated effectiveness in serving students at risk of not completing postsecondary education through the intentional design and implementation of curricula and support services.

An examination of early college high schools by the American Institutes for Research found that the cost-benefit ratio for early college was 15:1. An analysis of Texas’s dual credit system from the American Institutes for Research found that “each dollar invested in dual credit returned $1.18 from students spending less time in college and entering the workforce earlier. Long-term monetary benefits (e.g. The SERVE Center found that early college students in North Carolina generated an average lifetime benefit to society that was $23,000 higher than students who did not attend early college.

How to Explore Dual Enrollment Options

Check Out Nearby Colleges or Universities: You can look into local colleges or universities with dual enrollment programs. Online Dual Enrollment Courses: Many colleges and universities offer dual enrollment classes online.

As you sign up for your college-level classes, you’ll want to be thinking about where you’d like to earn your degree. Start exploring schools that match your goals with College Match.

Talk to your high school guidance counselor about the college credit programs available in your school.

If your child has expressed an interest in early college classes, explore the dual enrollment or AP classes available for enrolled students at Connections Academy. If your student is taking AP®* classes, which many Connections Academy® schools offer, make sure the classes don’t overlap with any college class they may be enrolled in. Be naturally curious. Your student may be beyond their peers academically and want to study or understand topics at higher levels.

tags: #taking #college #classes #in #high #school