Many high school students are getting a jump on college by dual enrollment and taking college classes while still in high school. While dual enrollment can offer many benefits, there are differences between high school and college classes that potential dual-enrolled students should consider. Students then must weigh out their options and think about all of the other questions people have surrounding dual enrollment.
Student Perspective
Sydney Kreger, a student who is dual enrolled at Kellogg Community College while still attending Harper Creek High School, works a part-time job as a barista and also plays sports through her high school.
“Dual enrollment allows for a more flexible schedule. Because I am taking my KCC classes all online, I don’t ever have to report to campus,” Kreger said. “This allows me to have a job as a barista at Biggby in the mornings before I have to attend in-person class at my high school.”
What are some differences between high school and college courses? “College work is a lot more writing-based, no matter if the class is an English class or not. In high school, you tend to have a lot more hands-on assignments and worksheet-type things, not writing paragraphs or essays,” Kreger said. “I also think a difference would be that in high school you have a lot more teacher aid. In college, you are expected to do your work on your own without much aid. Of course, you can always ask for help from the teacher, but they are not usually going to guide you the whole way like a high school teacher might.”
Why did she choose to dual enroll in high school? “[I] wanted to get ahead on college credits so that once I graduated high school and was entering college, I would have a little more of a step ahead. I also wanted to dual enroll because it is saving me thousands of dollars. At my school, dual enrollment and everything along with it, such as books, is covered by the school, free for the student. This is helping me to reduce costs of student debt in my future,” Kreger said.
Professional Perspective
KCC Manager of Early College and Events Angie Bess further explained some of the differences between high school work and college work.
“I would say the main difference is flexibility,” Bess said. “High school classes typically have more flexibility with assignment due dates, late work, make-up tests, and quizzes than college classes. At KCC it varies by class and instructor if late assignments and tests will be accepted. College classes also have more difficult course content than a high school class.”
What are some of the benefits and challenges of not being in high school for the full day as a dual-enrolled student? Bess said one benefit is more flexibility with your high school schedule. You may get to sleep in a little later in the morning or leave high school early every day depending on if your college classes are in-person or online. One of the negatives was missing school activities such as pep rallies, assemblies, etc.
Those interested in learning more about dual enrollment can find more information on the KCC website at kellogg.edu/highschool or can contact Bess at bessa@kellogg.edu.
