AP Classes vs. Dual Enrollment

When deciding which classes to take in high school, some students choose the AP (Advanced Placement) courses while others choose Dual Enrollment.

The AP program is a rigorous college-level course that will challenge you and prepare you for College. With Dual enrollment, you can take classes at your local community college or four-year University if it’s available.

What are the benefits of each? Which one should you select? Read this blog post to find out more!

What Is Dual Enrollment?

Dual enrollment is a program that allows high school students to enroll in college courses, earning both high school credits and college credit simultaneously. This saves the student time and money while increasing his or her chances of success in higher education. It also builds strong relationships between schools, particularly high schools, and colleges or universities.

Colleges, universities, and high schools around the country participate in a dual enrollment program. In many cases, colleges will designate staff members to help students with their transition from high school into College; these mentors can guide new dual enrollment students through classes, majors, financial aid processes—everything needed to succeed in higher education.

Since there is no fee for high school students to enroll in college courses, dual enrollment is often the least expensive way for students to earn a bachelor’s degree.

AP Classes: What You Need To Know About Them

AP classes are college-level courses that can be taken in high school. They were designed and created by the College Board so as to allow students to take a challenging course close to their homeschooling environment. These courses, if performed well, can grant you higher scores in your AP exams and yield more college credits once accepted into a university program.

What’s the point of taking these courses?

• Taking AP classes is especially useful for students who wish to go straight into university after high-school graduation instead of first attending a community college or an art institute for two years like most other university hopefuls.
• Taking on these classes will allow you jump start your admissions process and begin taking university credit-earning courses earlier than everyone else, which will significantly reduce how long it takes you to complete your degree.
• AP classes are also helpful for students who wish to study abroad but want to count university credits earned while overseas towards their four-year university program or help them be eligible for scholarships.

The first thing you should know is that there are three different types of classes:

• AP Classes
• College Preparatory Courses (College Prep)
• Regular High School courses

For credit purposes, you do not get college credit for AP classes. You only earn college credit once you pass the AP exam(s) that corresponds to the class that you have taken. Passing an AP exam does not mean high school is over for you. It simply means that depending on which university or college program you are applying to; they may give you some credits towards your degree (usually equivalent to a first-year or sophomore course). Make sure to visit your school’s website and inquire about whether or not they accept AP credits before jumping into this type of academic environment.

5 Benefits of Dual Enrollment

Dual enrollment has been a way of getting around the limitations of college and university systems for some time now. For example, many colleges don’t offer music degrees, but if you’re accepted into a dual-enrollment program at a nearby community college, you could take classes related to your creative passion while still earning your bachelor’s degree from your four-year College or university.

Here are 5 top benefits of dual enrollment for high school students:

1.Gain Practical Knowledge

Dual enrollment programs allow you to gain practical knowledge that might not be taught in a traditional classroom setting. You can get hands-on experience with career opportunities right away and maybe even get a leg up on your peers.

If you’re interested in advertising or marketing, for example, maybe you can enroll in an internship program at a local advertising agency while still attending high school. At the very least, this will look good on your resume when it’s time to apply to College!

2.Gain Independence

In many dual enrollment programs, you can earn college credits while still attending high school. This is an opportunity for students to learn early on to be independent and responsible in a new situation.

It will help them learn how to manage their time more effectively and handle stressful situations with greater confidence, maturity, and self-awareness. In other words, students can learn to be more self-sufficient while they’re still young.

3.Save Money and Time

Dual enrollment programs are an excellent way for students to earn college credits without taking too much time out of their busy schedules. This can save you thousands of dollars in tuition money before graduation because you’ll have less of a financial burden when it’s time to pay for College.

In addition, dual enrollment could also save you some valuable time on your path towards an undergraduate degree. By taking advantage of these programs in high school, students can accelerate their learning process and earn their degrees a little quicker than traditional students.

4.Gain Transferable Credits

Many dual enrollment programs are transferable. After graduation, students can pay tuition at a community college or university by transferring credits from their high school courses. This saves time and money on your way to earning your bachelor’s degree instead of starting all over again!

5.Earn College Credit

One of the best reasons for students to get involved in dual enrollment programs is because they can earn college credits while still enjoying the fun side of high school. It’s a way to get some much-needed hands-on experience and knowledge without taking a lot of time out of your hectic schedule.

For many students, it’s also an opportunity to turn their hobbies into their profession. For example, if you love writing and want to be a writer, maybe you can enroll in an English course at the community college while still in high school. By doing so, you could earn credits that will transfer to your bachelor’s degree.

Drawbacks of Dual Enrollment in High School

Since becoming common practice in the United States, dual enrollment has allowed high school students to take college classes and earn collegiate credit. But this popular approach is not without its drawbacks.

Here are the five most prominent drawbacks researchers have attributed to dual enrollment:

1. The pressure of a college-level workload on high school students can be too much, causing them to drop out or delay enrollment in a four-year institution.
2. Dual enrollees are less likely than traditional students to complete their first year of College with other full-time first-year students, especially if low-income students participate in these programs. This is mainly because of academic risk factors related to being overloaded by coursework and not having sufficient assistance from their colleges when they need it.
3. Dual-enrolled students who start at four-year colleges are more likely than traditional first-year students to switch majors or schools—a trend that could result from having been exposed to a variety of disciplines from early on in their undergraduate careers.

Benefits of AP Classes

1.Advancement

Some students believe that if they take advanced placement classes during high school, they’ll “get ahead” of their peers. However, this doesn’t mean that you won’t encounter challenges later because students face the same competitive atmosphere as those who have taken AP courses during College.

2.College Credits

Many colleges or universities will accept AP courses as a substitution for introductory level classes. However, they’ll also expect you to complete other requirements like remedial coursework after assessing your high school record and scores from the AP exams.

3.More Prep Time

Taking an AP class means that you’ll have more time to study and prepare since most of these are offered during the summer. This gives you plenty of opportunities to practice when it comes time to take the exam.

4.Counselor Recommendation

If your counselor believes that you qualify for advanced placement in a particular subject, they may recommend taking one. Make sure that you’re not overwhelmed with your current workload since taking an AP course is more rigorous than a regular class.

Drawbacks of AP Classes

1. AP classes tend to be large, with a high student-to-teacher ratio. This allows teachers to give less attention to each student, leading some students to feel lost in the crowd and not get enough assistance or tips from their teacher.
2. Some people might consider paying for college credits as an unnecessary expense, especially if they can receive the same material covered in an AP course at no cost through dual enrollment programs.
3. AP courses can sometimes be challenging, depending on how rigorous the teacher is about assignments and tests. Whereas taking a free community college class may seem more manageable because it’s free and doesn’t have strict deadlines attached (as long as you pay attention in class), actually finishing all of your assignments by the deadlines and doing your best to get an A on every test can be a much more difficult task.
4. Some students may find it overwhelming to take AP courses alongside regular college classes since both categories require you to complete many assignments by specific deadlines. You might end up feeling too overwhelmed if you try to take enough AP credits in high school to warrant earning a scholarship from your preferred university.

Rise To The Challenge And Earn Dual Enrollment Credits Today!

Did you know that nearly 70% of all community college students are enrolled in non-credit or remedial classes? If you’re unsure whether you can handle college-level coursework, why not give it a try through dual enrollment?

Dual enrollment programs allow high school students to earn college credit by taking classes while they are enrolled in their high schools. If you take dual enrollment courses and pass them with excellent grades, your credits will transfer directly into college credit and count towards your eventual degree.

Resources and References:

• When to apply to college
• U.S. College and University Scholarships
• Universities and Colleges that Accept AP Courses