Dual Enrollment Should Become Common Place

The emergence of dual enrollment credits provides high school students with an opportunity to kick off their college careers before they have even begun.

Having exposure to the rigors of a college curriculum can potentially aid in assuaging some of the many stressors a new college student may face. It is often the case that college freshman feel underprepared and find course workloads and expectations stressful.

If dual enrollment programs become a more common practice, high-school students will be more prepared for the rigors of a more substantial curriculum by exposure to college level material and may feel more confident and likely to succeed.

“Senioritis” is often the culprit on high school campuses for senior students’ lack of motivation and dull-mindedness. As a result, one of the most common “senioritis symptoms” is carelessness, coining the notion that senior year is simply wasted time. Many would concur that, in high school, senior year exists merely as a formality, a sort of “coming of age” as opposed to a platform for a future in higher education.

Recently, The Miami-Dade County Public School system announced its partnership with Florida International University’s dual enrollment program. As a result of FIU’s partnership with the public school system, dual enrollment courses will be offered at Miami Northwestern Senior High-School and Booker T. Washington Senior High-School this 2015-2016 school year.

Unlike Advanced Placement courses which are geared toward “higher achieving” students, dual enrollment courses are intended to be made available to students who desire to incorporate the challenge and rigor of college courses into their high-school careers.

Although Advanced Placement courses are popular and have provided students with rigorous coursework and college credits (which are contingent upon yearly AP exams), dual enrollment courses allow for students to experience college courses while simultaneously earning credits toward their university degrees.

US News reports that around one million high-school students are taking at least one college course during their high-school careers. Dual enrollment courses may be offered on high-school campuses or they may be offered at a local college and or university. Although a number of students are taking dual enrollment courses during their high-school careers, dual enrollment has potential to be a more common practice.

Because dual enrollment programs provide students with college credit after completion of these courses, prospective college students will enter their college careers with not only credits but also experience.

In comparison to high-school teachers, college faculty members have a higher expectation regarding the quality and quantity of work from their students. Independent study is strongly encouraged and is an integral part of a student’s success in college. Dual enrollment courses put prospective college students at an advantage that many other rising freshmen do not have.

For many new students, college is a major transition. Whether it be relocating to a foreign place or adjusting to the college workload, dual enrollment courses provide high-school students a taste of what it’s like to be a student at the college level.