If you’re a high school student looking for greater academic opportunities, dual enrollment might be for you.
Being a dual-enrolled student at Kellogg Community College can allow you to gain college experiences before graduation, earn free college credits toward a quicker degree and satisfy your own high school credit requirements, all at the same time.
What college experiences?
These include exposure to college professor teaching styles, a more rigorous speed in the classroom and special perks like the campus gym.
Do dual-enrolled students get the full “college experience”? Which is better for a high school student juggling college classes: in-person classes or virtual? Can a student thrive in any type of class platform, or is one better than the other?
KCC Anthropology Professor Dr. Michael Murphy has been teaching both online and in-person classe for around 30 years, and offered some insight on the topic.
From a professor’s perspective, teaching classes in person seems to be more interactive and preferred.
“I enjoy teaching face-to-face classes as I really get to know the students and can tell readily if they are understanding the materials. It also allows me to tell lots of stories,” Murphy said.
Dual-enrolled students won’t get the stereotypical movie college experience – there will be no partying – but it can still be fun. Dual enrollment is all about getting exposure to higher level classes and real-world applications of how you would fare in the real world.
Climax-Scotts senior and dual-enrolled KCC student Ryan DeHaan said so far his overall college experience has been positive.
“I have been able to gain a head start on college while also being able to make connections with instructors that can help me potentially later in life,” he said. “Not only that, but I have been able to make friends with other students from my classes, which has helped me become exposed to diverse perspectives and valuable insights that I would have never been able to encounter at my own high school.”
For those who want to take community college classes first, then possibly pursue more learning opportunities later on in life, dual enrollment is a great way to enter the college world.
When asked about how dual enrollment impacted his life and his future, DeHaan said, “I’m more prepared to become a full-time college student after graduation than I would have been without the experience, while also having a valuable head start on credits, which will save me money. Finally, I am more willing and actually want to join clubs and student groups in the future at college.”
As for his opinions on his classes, in-person and online, DeHaan said, “For my in-person classes, I do feel fulfilled taking college classes. It has provided me with the opportunity to dive deeper into subjects I’m passionate about and expand my knowledge and critical thinking skills.
“On the other hand, college classes that are virtual are not that fulfilling and I recommend avoiding them if possible. Due to a lack of motivation and lesser communication with your professor and classmates, it can be hard to learn subject material on your own and find the motivation to do work from home.”
Professor Murphy had a different take.
“Online classes, especially the asynchronous ones, are much more flexible for students who are working or parenting. They also save on transportation time and cost,” Murphy said.
The flexibility of online classes can also be helpful for dual-enrolled students who don’t have their own cars or transportation yet or are a bit too far away from any campuses. They can also be beneficial as you can work on them any time during the week versus a set time and place for in-person classes.
Murphy also noted students in his online classes held high completion rates and overall good grades.
It seems like whether a student should pursue an online or in-person course at KCC is a matter of opinion, and one doesn’t seem to be superior from an all-or-nothing standpoint.
Online classes can be hard since they can be isolating and require a higher degree of self-motivation, but they greatly save on time and money for transportation costs.
In-person courses can be difficult to get to for students who work, are in sports or are simply too far away from a campus, but they do offer the physical peer socialization and teacher interactions, which can be priceless to some.
If you are looking to dual enroll, prefer a more old-school way of learning and have the capabilities of transportation, in-person classes may be the best option for you. On the other hand, if you lack said capabilities, online classes may need to be utilized for higher education while in high school.
