There are a variety of interests and career fields out there, and summer is the perfect time to consider different pathways that students may want to take in the future. Of course, it is difficult to choose what to major in college and what a possible career may be if students are unable to experience and learn in many different fields. As schools do not offer such intricate courses in specialized courses, summer and dual enrollment classes go hand in hand to support these interests of students.
Dual enrollment classes are classes that can be taken at either a high school or college campus, but must be taught by a teacher who is certified to teach college courses. This program enables students to take more courses alongside their high school selected courses, whether this be during the school year or over the summer. These courses are all college level courses, but as these are college courses, there is a more variety in the studies and are free for high school students.
Since the summertime is coming up, it may be your perfect chance to enroll in one of the classes available at either your school or a nearby college, which could be affiliated to a program that your school offers. There are multiple reasons that taking a dual enrollment class can be beneficial to students.
Want to Write for The Teen Magazine?
Share your ideas and get published on The Teen Magazine. Whether it’s entertainment, wellness, or academics, your voice matters here!
Apply Now1. Credits
Many colleges have required classes/courses that you should be taking before you either graduate high school, or apply to their institutions. For example, the UCs have an A-G requirement, where you have to complete a set of courses that they mandate in order to apply for their colleges.
While most classes offered at high schools fit into the A-G requirements, there are certain classes that students may want to take but are unable to because their schedule does not have any space. For instance, a student may want to take an Intro to Engineering class, but may have a tight schedule, unable to fit that specific course in. Then, this student may choose one of their courses to take over the summer as dual enrollment, and make space during the year for this elective.
Taking dual enrollment classes is a common way to free up a student’s schedule in the case that they would like to fill up that slot with another class/elective.
2. Exploring Academic Interests
College education is not cheap, and therefore, you want to be sure that you are studying what you would like to commit to in the following years. However, there are certainly situations where students may change their majors, but this may also result in having to take more classes related to the major in order to graduate, which may mean that the student is unable to graduate in four years time and must attend more years.
Dual enrollment classes are beneficial in this perspective, because students are able to explore their interests in multiple fields and interests without having to worry or think about the full cost of the college tuition.
For example, a career field that a student may want to delve into in the future may be engineering. However, they may have a variety of interests, which is common for those at younger ages. If they have a keen interest in writing, research, or different languages, taking these courses at a nearby college can help them develop interests in different areas, as well as possibly unlock a field that may be more suitable for them.
Therefore, dual enrollment classes are able to solve multiple interests in students.
3. Course Rigor
Just like honors classes, Advanced Placement, and International Baccalaureate programs, dual enrollment classes also offer the extra point on your GPA scale.
For colleges that are ranked very high and are prestigious, many have students who have had high GPAs in their high school years. In order to raise their GPAs, students end up taking large amounts of more difficult and rigorous classes.
At some schools, large amounts of rigorous classes are not offered, and students instead must go to a nearby community college or university to get these credits. When these courses show up on the students’ transcripts, students are able to receive a bump of a grade which is essential to raising point GPA for students.
Since dual enrollment classes are also considered as rigorous classes, these classes also benefit you in the category of course rigor. For this benefit, students would be gaining towards the chances of applying to more top tier colleges who place a big weight on grades, although they take a holistic review of applications.
4. Shorter Course, Less Tuition
Many courses for dual enrollment are completed within the time frame of the summer, so the courses are much shorter, although they can be rigorous. However, due to the fact that they are taken at colleges, they are taught by professors who have a program connected to the high school and teach in a style in which you may see in future education.
High schools normally have a program associated with a nearby college, so any course that they choose to take in their high school years (which are approved by the system), are free to take. For that reason, this is a very economical and straightforward method to sign up for these classes.
As long as an account is made with the system, the classes are there for students to pick and challenge themselves with.
Conclusion
In conclusion, dual enrollment classes are highly encouraged for students to take, for the multiple reasons stated above. They are time efficient, free, and allow students to become proficient in different subjects.
For high school students, this is probably one of the best ways that students can benefit from education over the summer.
So this summer, why not research about such a program at your high school and try taking some classes?
