If your school offers one, take advantage
of a dual enrollment program, which allows you to earn college credit while you are still finishing up your high school diploma.
Besides the fact that the programs are free, new funding and policy measures have boosted the popularity
of dual enrollment in those states.
Over three - quarters (77 %)
of dual enrollment students were taught at secondary school locations, including career centers run by the public school system.
Or, alternatively, more motivated students may self - select for dual enrollment and those motivated students may tend to do better in later college work
regardless of dual enrollment.
Most of these studies aggregate analysis across all
forms of dual enrollment, regardless of the location, delivery method, or instructor type.
This study examines the
impact of dual enrollment participation for all students and specifically addresses value for CTE population.
The statistically significant
effect of dual enrollment participation versus non-participation generally remained the same, regardless of whether students took one, two, three or four, or five or more dual enrollment courses.
Across the country, state lawmakers have stressed the
use of dual enrollment as a launching pad to college success.
In «High Schoolers in College,» June Kronholz wrote for Education Next about a different
type of dual enrollment program in Indiana that enrolls select, ambitious high school students in college courses.
Some states have policies specific to concurrent enrollment partnerships where high school teachers offer college courses in their classrooms, while other policies address a wide range
of dual enrollment opportunities regardless of location or instructor.
Although the most capable students may not be well served in all traditional districts, parents with means can often supplement with out - of - school programs or by taking advantage
of dual enrollment options for high school students (see «High Schoolers in College,» features, Summer 2011).
If courses meet rigorous criteria yet students are denied transfer credit at another postsecondary institution, the
value of dual enrollment as an option for students to save money and time to degree is negated.
Furthermore, I can personally attest to the fact that students are able to accumulate more credits via the dual enrollment path: one year of AP calculus grants students only 4 credits at a UC, whereas one year (2 semesters)
of dual enrollment Calculus grants students 8 or more credits.
Some college administrators, however, point out that the
goal of dual enrollment is not to boost institutions» enrollment numbers, but to create a college - going culture and help jump - start students» collegiate careers.
This poses a threat to the
longevity of dual enrollment and has prompted school districts and postsecondary partners to assess new staffing solutions and the accompanying educational and financial tradeoffs.
The summary report found a medium - to - large evidence base that shows positive
benefits of dual enrollment on college degree attainment, college access and enrollment, college credit accumulation, completing high school, and general academic achievement in high school.
Despite the
popularity of dual enrollment, little is known about its effectiveness as a strategy for increasing students» postsecondary attainment.
Partner institutions are required to submit specific plans aimed at reducing the need for remedial classes, expanding student participation in Tech Prep programs, and providing effective professional development services to
teachers of dual enrollment courses.
At the federal level, Vargas concluded, the first recommendation is the same: do no harm — the federal government should be aware of policies that stand in the
way of dual enrollment because they treat high school and college as silos which may force those systems to work at cross purposes.