More Students are Enrolling in Dual-Credit College Courses

“These students are more likely to continue their education past high school. They’re more likely to perform better when they’re in college.”

By Alexandra HartDecember 5, 2016 3:38 pm

Attendance in community, public and private colleges is declining. But bucking that trend is the dual-credit course. Rather than spending a year at a community college, Texas high school juniors and seniors are receiving credit for both college and high school classes by taking a single course.

Last year, more than 130,000 students signed up for dual-credit classes, up from 17,000 in 2000.

Ashley Smith, a reporter with the Inside Higher Ed news site, says that the trend is taking root for myriad reasons.

“There’s definitely a lot of positive outcomes when you take dual-credit courses,” she says. “These students are more likely to continue their education past high school. They’re more likely to perform better when they’re in college.”

What you’ll here in this segment:

– The driving force behind the rise in dual-credit classes

– The logistics of dual-credit students for high schools and colleges

– Popularity of dual-credit courses among lawmakers