What Is Dual Enrollment?
First, a brief word of explanation about “dual enrollment,” or “post-secondary enrollment options.” Virtually all states allow high school students to enroll in community college or university courses. These courses also apply the credits earned to their high school transcript. Students enroll twice: they earn both high school AND college credits for the same course. In some cases, community college faculty offer these courses in high school, while in other cases, the high school student must travel to the community college campus.
In other cases, community college faculty “approve” or certify high school faculty to offer a college-level course after the college has approved the syllabus. In most instances, parents pay an extra fee for a dual enrollment course. However, the good thing is that this fee translates to college credits that can often (but not always) be transferred to a university when the student graduates from high school (more on that in a moment). No matter how these dual enrollment courses are organized, dually enrolled students receive two sorts of credit for their work. They receive grades on their high school transcript, and the same grades are recorded on their college transcripts.
See our blog post on whether taking an AP course or dual enrollment is right for you.
Advantages of Dual Enrollment
The advantages of dual enrollment courses in college admissions include:
- High schools can offer honors-level courses without hiring new staff
- Districts can save money by partnering with community colleges
- Parents can save on college tuition because these college credits are transferable to most state universities
- Students demonstrate that they can handle college-level work
- Students who doubt their own abilities to succeed in college experience success and are more likely to apply to college–and eventually graduate
- Community colleges and 4-year institutions build a pipeline of students moving from high school to college
- State governments and local governments appreciate the collaboration between K-12 and higher education
In states where dual enrollment options exist, the state government creates master articulation agreements to ensure that credits earned while in high school are guaranteed transfer to higher education systems in that state. Thus, if you take a dual enrollment course in Virginia, your credits are automatically accepted for credit by state-funded universities in Virginia–as long as the grade earned is a C- or above, and as long as the courses are considered academic, “general education” course (as opposed to remedial or developmental courses, or technical or industrial skills courses).
Can Dual Enrollment Credits be Transferred to a 4-Year College?
Are Dual Enrollment Credits Transferable In-State?
Credits for dual enrollment courses taken in high school will automatically–guaranteed–transfer to universities in the same state. As long as students perform adequately in the dual enrollment course, they will receive college credit. The biggest advantage here is cost savings: those are courses the student (and family) will not have to pay for on the way to a college degree. A dual credit history course taken at a high school in Virginia is the functional and administrative equivalent of a history course at the University of Virginia.
Can Dual Enrollment Credits Transfer Out-of-State?
With regard to whether dual enrollment credits are accepted by universities in other states, the landscape becomes a bit more random. Many publicly-funded state colleges and universities will likely accept dual enrollment credits from another state as long as the credits are listed on a transcript from an accredited community college or university. Universities in Colorado, therefore, will accept credits from Florida, as long as they are academic in nature and the student has earned a grade of C- or above. However, a receiving university would review exactly which courses would be transferred and how they would be counted towards the degree only after the student has applied and been accepted. Most universities operate in this way: they tell you that “generally speaking,” courses are easily transferred, but they don’t give any specifics until after you are enrolled. Colleges make a detailed determination of how the credits will be applied to your Bachelors degree.
Part of the reason for this is that dual enrollment credits may be counted differently depending on the major you pursue. For example, your dual enrollment college algebra course might not count toward your math requirements for an engineering degree. However, it might count as an elective if you are an art history major. Nevertheless, it almost always benefits a student to collect dual enrollment credits as a way to reduce the cost of college. Also, it may decrease the time to earn a degree. If, for example, all the courses a student takes in her junior and senior years of high school are classified as dual enrollment, then effectively that student conceivably could enter as a first semester JUNIOR in college. However, this depends on where the credits are and how they conform to the university’s graduation and major requirements.
Readers should be aware, therefore, that different states have different rules about how they handle dual enrollment credits from out-of-state students. Do not assume that every dual enrollment credit will be automatically transferred. As with everything in the world of college admissions, you need to do the research to find the answers you need. Policies like this shift all the time, and you need to verify what your desired universities will do with those dual enrollment credits.
Do Dual Enrollment Credits Transfer to Private Universities?
Private colleges are a different matter, however. As private entities, they are free to establish their own transfer criteria. Here again, it is best to check in advance of applying what the college’s policy toward dual enrollment credits will be. Some will be happy to transfer the courses in, as long as their college offers an equivalent course. Others may require a grade of B or better to transfer. And some may not transfer any of your dual enrollment courses at all. Some of the more selective colleges may use dual enrollment credits only to waive prerequisites or for placement purposes.
One thing is clear, however: colleges and universities of all types smile upon applicants who have completed dual enrollment courses. These courses demonstrate the ability to do college-level work, and they send the signal to admissions offices that this student is likely to succeed in college–because they have been challenged in college-level curricula.
A Student Discusses the Value of Dual Enrollment Classes
Over the years, students have read our blog and written to share their own experiences and insights. A young woman who attended the College of William and Mary read this post a while back and took the time to write to advocate for dual enrollment courses. She attended a high school in Virginia and then enrolled at the selective, public liberal arts college in that state. It’s worth quoting this letter in full, because it speaks to the priorities and choices students face as they choose the right path for themselves. There is no right and wrong answer to the question, “which is better, an AP course or dual enrollment classes?”. Each student and family must make decide what makes the most sense given their values, priorities, and preferences.
So thank you, Sarah, for writing in with your opinion, and we’re happy to share it below.
As a current college student, I vouch for the dual enrollment option when high school students are looking through their course options. I went to a very small, rural high school in Virginia, and had the opportunity to take DE credit classes through local community colleges. I finished at the top of my class and I am currently an academic junior at the College of William and Mary.
During my freshman year in college, I came to find that a majority of my friends took AP classes, got an A or a high B in the class, but couldn’t get a 4 or 5 on their AP exam (mind you, these students came from great private and public high schools all over the country, each with its own long-standing AP track). William and Mary requires a score of 4 or 5 to get credit from an AP course. I can’t tell you how many of my friends got burned by taking AP. All 39 of my dual enrollment credits transferred and I am graduating in 3 years.
A lot of really great colleges and universities require high AP scores. So it is very important to do your research on the school you wish to attend. Taking an AP class may look good on a transcript. But how good will it look when the student doesn’t pass the exam with the necessary score? I feel like AP is put up on this pedestal as being the best of the best. However, there is nothing wrong with dual enrollment classes, and taking DE doesn’t mean that one could not handle the supposed “harder” AP course load. I can assure you, the classes I took through my governor’s school were more than challenging.
Best of luck,
Sarah
Do you need help with the college admissions process?
If you have questions about dual enrollment and the college admissions process, please reach out with any questions. The college prep experts at Great College Advice have a great deal of experience in working with students going down the dual enrollment course path. Give us a call or contact us on our website. We’d be delighted to help you map your college journey.
Since 2007, the expert team of college admissions consultants at Great College Advice has provided comprehensive guidance to thousands of students from across the United States and over 45 countries across the world. Great College Advice has offices in Colorado, New Jersey, Chicago, North Carolina and Massachusetts. In addition to our one-on-one counseling, Great College Advice extends its support through one of the most active and resource-rich Facebook Groups for college-bound students and their families: College Admissions Experts. With over 100,000 members—students, parents, and experienced counselors—this vibrant forum offers peer support and expert advice like no other.
