(Archive October 1, 2011) Dual Enrollment Students Typically More Successful

By Taylor Emma | Observer Contributor

According to a study in 2008 by the Community College Research Center (CCRC), dual enrollment programs that allow high school students to enroll in college credit are more successful than average students in the classroom and in a four year college. They found that dual enrollment students, opposed to the non-participants of the program, had consistently positive outcomes. CCRC found that dual enrollment students were more likely to earn their diplomas and pursue a four year college, than their peers. Dual enrollment students also have an “edge” when receiving acceptance from four-year colleges because the colleges recognize the student can already successfully complete college courses.

In college, CCRC found that dual enrollment students were more likely to remain in college than their peers, and that their participation in the high school program contributed to receiving higher grades in college. Research completed by the CCRC also shows that dual enrollment students have grade point averages that were 0.26 points higher than their classmates’.

David Patterson, English Professor at Mount Wachusett Community College, taught a class last semester enrolled completely with dual enrollment students and said he was impressed with the high standard of studentship among the class as a whole. Compared to a class of random students, he said the dual enrollment students were, “serious about studying, meeting deadline, answering and asking questions and accomplishing a high quality of writing.”

Patterson continued, comparing grades between a dual enrollment student only class and a class of randomly selected students. There were 19 students originally enrolled in the dual enrollment class and 19 completed the course with five students receiving an A, twelve with a B, and one receiving a C+. In the class of randomly selected students, out of the twenty-three that were originally enrolled, 5 withdrew or disappeared from the class. Out of the remaining students, seven received an A, five earned a B, three earned Cs and three failed the course.

Patterson noted, “Teaching that class of dual enrollment students was very gratifying.”

Nancy Kennedy, Academic Advisor of most dual enrollment students at Mount Wachusett Community College, said, “[Dual enrollment students] usually have a great work ethic.” She noted that dual enrollment students tended to be very hard working and excellent at achieving their educational goals. She said that those students shorten their time at a four-year college by taking general education courses that transfer to those colleges. By shortening the time enrolled at a four-year college, she said, dual enrollment students save a significant amount of money on tuition by taking cheaper courses at MWCC during high school.

Dual enrollment student David Barney, agreed with the study made by CCRC and said, “Thank God I took all of these general education courses now instead of at college. If I didn’t take all of these courses, I would have had an extremely heavy work load during my freshman year of college…dual enrollment lightens the amount of work I have to do.” Barney said that by doing the dual enrollment program, he understands what his approach to completing college work will be, and that he will be one step ahead of his high school classmates with no background experience in college coursework.