The state of Texas recently passed a new law that requires high schools
to offer students the opportunity to earn up to 12 hours of college
credit,
a mandate that is part of a growing "dual enrollment" trend. In hopes
of making college a realistic goal for students who might not have the
resources to attend, more and more school districts are offering dual
enrollment programs so students can spend less time and money as
undergraduates.
Dual enrollment is not the same as Advanced Placement. The latter
refers to advanced classes in high school that prepare students to take
an exam in the spring. If you receive a passing score on the AP exam,
it qualifies you to receive college credit. However, some elite
colleges require a higher score than others, and not all colleges
accept credit you earn in high school (whether it's through dual
enrollment or through AP tests), though it may allow you to skip
prerequisites.
In the past, dual enrollment meant taking college classes and
earning college credit in addition to attending high school. The
classes were usually off-campus (or online), and the colleges offering
them weren't associated with the high school. Today, more and more high
schools are becoming receptive to the idea of introducing college-level
coursework to their students and allowing students to earn both high
school and college credit with them. In Indianapolis, Ivy Tech
Community College teaches dual credit classes on high school campuses
to over 16,000 students.
There are even "early college high schools" that work with low-income,
underrepresented minorities who might not consider college otherwise.
They offer a high school diploma and an Associate's degree through four years of advanced courses.
Dual enrollment may or may not be right for you, depending on your high
school and your specific needs. Check back next week for some of the
pros and cons you'll need to know to decide if dual enrollment is right
for you.