Skip to main content

Planning Ahead: 5 Reasons to Enroll Your High School Student in a Dual Enrollment Program

For parents of high school students, the thought of your child going to college can bring on a laundry list of questions – How do I know they’re ready for college-level work? When should we start applying to schools? How am I going to afford tuition?
If you’re feeling anxious about your child jumping head-first into college life, planning ahead with a dual enrollment program may be a good way to smooth the transition for everyone – plus there are some real benefits that you and your child can both enjoy!
What is Dual Enrollment? 
Dual enrollment is a program in which a high school student enrolls in a college course and receives credit both at the collegiate level and at the high school level for successful completion. Courses are offered in a variety of formats - online, face to face on the college campus, and sometimes instruction is even given onsite at high schools.


Most public and private postsecondary institutions have special admission requirements and registration guidelines for dual enrollment, so be sure to check those out at the school in which you are considering enrollment.
So – now that you know WHAT dual enrollment is, you may be wondering WHY it’s such a good idea. Well, here are 5 reasons we think it’s such a smart move.
1.      A Smooth College Transition
For some students, the rigor of college-level course work can be a shock at first. By easing into college courses during high school, students are able to experience a real college class and develop the skills required to be successful before leaving the comforts of home and high school.
2.      Increased Access to Advanced Classes
Some high schools are not able to offer as many advanced placement (AP) courses as they would like. By dual enrolling in an online college course, your child can be challenged with an advanced curriculum, which will reflect positively on transcripts when applying for full enrollment to colleges. Plus, with dual enrollment, you do not have to score highly on one test to receive college credit as is required in AP courses. If you pass the class, you get the credit.
3.      Graduate from College Faster
Many people start thinking about dual enrollment in their child’s senior year – but you can enroll as early as sophomore year. If a student begins a dual enrollment program early enough – he or she could graduate from high school with enough credits to be classified as a college sophomore! That can shorten the time to complete a bachelor’s degree by up to two years. Now THAT is what we call getting ahead!
4.      Encourage Collegiate Success
Statistics show that dual enrolled students’ GPAs after two years of college were significantly higher than those students who did not participate in dual enrollment classes.
5.      Save on College Tuition
With college tuition on the rise annually, this is one of the most common concerns of parents. Here in Georgia, high school students have access to the Move on When Ready (MOWR) program. MOWR provides funds to be awarded for postsecondary coursework qualifying for dual credit. Students must be enrolled in ninth, tenth, eleventh, or twelfth grades. Students may receive MOWR funding for three semesters or four quarters per award year while enrolled in an eligible high school or home school study program. MOWR covers all of tuition and required course books are provided through the college or university at no cost to the student. For more information on MOWR, visit www.gafutures.org.
Now that you know why dual enrollment programs are so great, it’s time to get started on the HOW. With busy high school schedules, online classes are a great option. Through the University System of Georgia’s eCore program, the state’s college core curriculum is now offered completely online through more than 20 colleges and universities.

To learn more about online dual enrollment through eCore, visit ecore.usg.edu. We’d love to talk to you and answer any questions you have! Request information here, or call us anytime at 1.866.93ECORE.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Four Enchanting USG Institutions to Visit During the Holidays

With holiday breaks soon approaching, there’s no better time to hit the road and visit a few of Georgia’s most beautiful college campuses. Whether it’s an old-fashioned postcard scene with snow-capped mountains or a symphony of lights, several colleges and universities are already hauling out the holly. Here’s a few of our favorites: University of North Georgia - With a backdrop of the Blue Ridge Mountains, UNG’s main campus is in Dahlonega, which Southern Living has named the “perfect Christmas town.” In addition to a variety of musical performances that you can catch on campus during the holidays, the town itself goes all out with lights, a festival of trees, and daily carriage rides. Georgia College and State University - This beautiful liberal arts college is steeped in tradition and will perform the 25th year of its Nutcracker ballet – right on campus. December 8-10, 2023 University of West Georgia – Just an hour from Atlanta, UWG is a newcomer to the holiday scene. 20...
Post a Comment
Read more

USG eCampus Creates USG Resource Guide for Transitioning to Remote Instruction

To limit the spread of the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19), University System of Georgia (USG) institutions transitioned to remote instruction in mid-March through the remainder of the spring 2020 semester. Institutions will continue with remote classes through the summer, with plans to resume on-campus operations in the fall. This safety precaution, along with several others (i.e., quarantine, social distancing, shelter-in-place, etc.) encouraged across the country and state, has resulted in an adjustment period for innovative e-learning formats. Faculty and students from the USG’s 26 institutions quickly migrated to emergency remote instruction, which differs from traditional classroom settings by regularly including virtual lessons, assignments, and interactions among instructors and students. “We recognize that faculty and students are under a great deal of stress with this quick move to remote learning and that the situation is less than ideal” said eCampus Associate Dean, Dr....
Post a Comment
Read more

Professor Broussard: This Georgia College Professor Teaches History from a Very Unique Point of View

Not only is Dr. Ray Broussard a UGA/USG eCore History professor still teaching in his 90s, but he’s also a World War II and Korean War veteran. eCampus visits Dr. Broussard’s home in Athens, Georgia for an update on his love of life and teaching. We last interviewed Dr. Broussard in 2012 , when we learned about his time in the Navy, his early teaching days, and his genuine surprise when he realized you really could teach History online. Today, he is not only the oldest, but also one of USG eCore’s most engaging instructors and consistently receives gushing comments from students in his course evaluations-- many who are amazed to learn world and United States history from someone who helped make the history. At 91 years old, Dr. Broussard and his wife (a retired high school history teacher), haven’t been up for traveling as much, so he invited us to visit with him at his home. We arrived at his peaceful, quaint little house on the Eastside of Athens where he eagerly welc...
3 comments
Read more