Concurrent Enrollment Facts
Concurrent Enrollment Facts- Working With Advanced Peers
- Program Requirements Differ
- Growth of Online Schools
- College Credit
- Different From Other Classes
Concurrent enrollment programs give high school students the chance to take college classes and earn credit before they graduate. This can help students earn their degrees faster and even show that they are capable of working at the college level. A student with a low grade point average may improve his or her chances of getting into college based on the grades received in college classes. High school students interested in these programs and their parents can learn more before enrolling.
Working With Advanced Peers
A common benefit of enrolling in one of these programs is that it gives students the chance to work with their advanced peers. While most students take introductory courses, they can learn alongside currently enrolled college students as well as other students who have more experience. They also get to work and learn with those who come from different parts of the country and from different backgrounds that they may not have any experience with themselves.
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Program Requirements Differ
The requirements of these programs can differ from state to state and even between schools or school districts. Some schools allow students to take classes as early as their junior years, but other schools will let students enroll as sophomores. The number of credits a student can take may relate to age as well. A sophomore may take just a few classes on a local college campus, while a junior or senior can take all their classes at college instead of through their high schools. This gives students the chance to experience college for themselves and become familiar with college classes.
Growth of Online Schools
As the number of online colleges and classes grew, some schools changed the way students can take college classes. Instead of students driving to the college a few times a week for their classes, they now enroll in online college classes that they can take in their high school and classes that they can complete at home. Some rural school districts even bring in college professors to teach classes. If the school has a small number of students interested in taking the same college class, those students can take the class together in a classroom that the school sets aside.
College Credit
One reason for offering this type of program for high school students is that it gives them the chance to earn both high school and college credit at the same time. Many colleges now require that freshmen complete a college-prep curriculum in high school that includes math, life science, social science, foreign language, and English classes. Students taking college classes while in high school can take courses required for graduation that will also cover the classes they take as freshmen, which can help them finish college faster.
Different From Other Classes
These enrollment classes are significantly different from other high school classes that help students earn college credits. According to the National Alliance of Concurrent Enrollment Partnerships, this is different from advanced placement (AP) classes because students no longer gain credit based on how well they perform on a test. With AP classes, students spend the whole year studying a class and then take a test. Their scores determine how much college credit they get and even if they get credit. With college enrollment, they can transfer an entire class to a new college after graduating from high school.
Taking college classes while still in high school offers a number of benefits for students. When you sign up for concurrent enrollment, you can get more familiar with how college works and gain real credits that will transfer to the college or university of your choice.
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