Dual Schooling: Who Is It For?

What is it?

“Dual enrollment is a program that allows secondary students, including home education and private school students to take postsecondary coursework and simultaneously earn credit toward a high school diploma, a career certificate, an associate or baccalaureate degree at a Florida public or eligible private institution,” as stated by the Florida Department of Education. In short, this means that middle or high school students can earn credit through college courses! For Bay County residents, this is usually done through Gulf Coast State College and is available to public, private, and home-school students.

My Experience 

I started taking dual enrollment courses during my first year of high school, and despite how prepared I thought I was, Accounting and Art History were more than I bargained for. Thankfully, after getting up on my feet and researching which courses I should take for my desired career, the courses got easier. As of Fall 2023, I am one class away from completing my Associate’s Degree in Radio/Television Broadcasting and will be able to transfer most of my credits to a four-year university. While I am forever grateful for the opportunity, it was difficult, and dual enrollment is definitely not for everyone.

Pros

The most considerable quality of dual enrollment is how the courses are easier to get credit from than AP. While AP courses require you to get a specific score on the exam, DE gains you credit hours as long as you pass the course. This makes earning college credit through dual enrollment much easier, as it relies on your overall performance and not just one test you could bomb. However, there is much more than education involved. Programs like DE allow you to take college courses without paying, which is significant for people in lower economic classes and those trying to save money for a higher degree. Even if you only take a few college courses, you still have less to pay when getting a degree later. It also allows students to jumpstart their careers and improve their resumes from a young age.

Cons

While there are benefits involved with dual enrollment, there are some drawbacks as well. For example, some students need more time to be ready to take on college courses’ workload. This higher level work also allows middle and high school students to work with college-aged young adults, which can be overwhelming for people not mature enough. The grades that these students earn on these courses also stick with them forever. That C I got in Accounting is stuck on my transcript for life. This can make it harder to get into more esteemed universities, depending on their requirements. Aside from academics, the added stress of a harsher workload can negatively affect students, especially at such a young age.

Conclusion

As someone who earned an entire degree through dual enrollment, you might expect me to be all for the program. However, you must make the choice that’s best for you. Sure, I got excellent class experience, but I also struggled often, which added to my already existent stress. Dual enrollment is a great opportunity, but that opportunity is not meant to be taken by everyone, and that’s okay. If something like that piques your interest, talk to friends and family, do your research, and ask a counselor about next steps before taking a class. If you already have a heavy workload with school, elective activities, and a job, maybe spare yourself the stress. Overall, the experience will always be different for everyone, and that’s how it’s meant to be. Even if you start taking DE courses, you can stop after a course or simply drop it if it becomes too much for you to handle. However, the best way to avoid that is by doing what is right in your gut and making an educated decision. After all, that’s good advice for almost everything.