Dual enrollment allows a student in high school to enroll for classes in college at the same time. It helps students save money on college since you’ll be taking lesser courses in the college than the students that waited until after high school. It also helps the student get into the workforce market much sooner. Sometimes, the fee is covered by the state and other times, the student has to pay the fees in full by him or herself. However, there’s more to dual enrollment than what meets the eye. This article entails what dual enrollment is, how it works, and a bonus at the end with information regarding the requirements.
What is Dual Enrollment?
Dual Enrollment is simply what it is – a student enrolling for two classes at the same time. With dual enrollment, a high school student can take college classes and run high school programs at the same time. This allows the student to earn college credit while still in high school. These students end up having to work two schedules which can prove difficult for a few students. Some other students might find it hard to participate fully in both programs which allows them to miss out on the ‘fun’ of schooling.
However, there are some benefits to it. A student that is running a dual enrollment program will earn college credits on time, get a head start on degrees, and graduate much quicker. It also helps to ease the tension and anxiety of the ‘new-world experience’ of college. But how does it work?
How does dual enrollment work?
Since the student is allowed to run two programs at once (high school and college), when a student passes a dual enrollment (or dual credit) class, it counts as a credit for both programs. The kind of classes or what sort of classes are involved depends entirely on the school district. Some schools offer general subjects and courses like Science, Social Studies, Math, English, and likely Humanities.
However, these course works are usually introductory subjects so they are not overly tough for the incoming high schoolers. The courses usually last for a single semester which doesn’t allow the student to be too choked-up with double schooling.
The exams and tests are usually held at the high school either as an online assessment or a physical test. They can also sometimes be held in a local community college and as long as the state requirements are met, there would be no problem.
Dual credit classes are for those that require or are chasing after certain degrees and certifications like Carrer or Technical Education Certificates, Associate’s degree, or a Bachelor’s degree. The grade that ensures a pass during a dual credit program is a C and above (B or A). Also, the credit doesn’t only count during assessments, tests, or exams, They also count during admission processes or whenever the college administrators count credits.
However, you might need to note that though dual credit/enrollment might seem like a good idea, not all states accept these credit types. Out-of-state colleges, for example, or even private colleges are less likely to accept dual enrollment credits so you might need to search in-depth to know what schools and states accept dual credit. That’s why you might need the next section on the requirements for dual enrollment.
Dual Enrollment Requirements
- Dual credits are usually awarded or offered to only high school seniors and juniors. The students need to be at least a sophomore or a junior. Only a few schools will allow younger students to participate in their current grades are over-the-top excellent.
- If the student is a resident or is schooling in North Carolina, Mississippi, Maine, Alabama, Missouri, or Florida, the student has to have at least a 3.0 GPA to participate in dual credit programs. A student with a lower GPA will be considered unable to balance the two schedules properly.
- Students might require a written recommendation and permission letter from the class teacher, subject teacher, principal, coach, or parent as the case may be.
- Minimum ACT or SAT scores might also be required.
Conclusion
Dual enrollment is a great way for an outstanding student to get a feel of what college life will look like plus he or she can add up some college credits while at it. It is also great for saving costs. As long as the requirements are met, nothing might be able to stand in the way of getting those degrees and preparing for the workforce market early on.