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College is an investment of time and money, but more and more programs allow鈥痟igh school鈥痵tudents to save by earning college credit before they graduate high school. Concurrent鈥痚nrollment鈥痑苍诲 诲耻补濒鈥痚苍谤辞濒濒尘别苍迟鈥痑re two options to do this.

But what are they? The terms 鈥�肠辞苍肠耻谤谤别苍迟鈥痚苍谤辞濒濒尘别苍迟鈥�鈥痑苍诲 鈥�诲耻补濒鈥痚苍谤辞濒濒尘别苍迟鈥�鈥痑re often used interchangeably, but they are not the same thing. Understanding that difference will help you choose the route that is best for you.

Dual鈥疎nrollment鈥痸s. Concurrent鈥疎nrollment

Both 诲耻补濒鈥痚苍谤辞濒濒尘别苍迟鈥痑苍诲 肠辞苍肠耻谤谤别苍迟鈥痚苍谤辞濒濒尘别苍迟鈥痯rovide the chance to earn鈥痗ollege credit鈥痺hile in鈥痟igh school, bypassing otherwise required course or degree requirements (specific requirements vary by institution). This is鈥�, which allow students to test out of entry-level college courses and replace them with more challenging ones. 听

Because so many people use the words 鈥渄ual enrollment鈥� and 鈥渃oncurrent enrollment鈥� to mean any class taken in鈥痟igh school鈥痜or鈥痗ollege credit, it鈥檚 easy to be confused about these terms. Here鈥檚 how they differ.

What is Concurrent鈥疎nrollment?

Concurrent鈥痚nrollment鈥痮ccurs when a student takes a course 听at their鈥痟igh school鈥痓ut gets鈥痗ollege credit鈥痜or it,. typically taught by the鈥痟igh school鈥痶eacher. While each program is unique, one year-long concurrent courses often earn a student three college credits.听

High schools must have a partnership with a college or university to have a concurrent enrollment program. These are available with no tuition cost for the student.听

The Pros of Concurrent鈥疎nrollment

Concurrent鈥痚nrollment鈥痯rograms tend to be from accredited universities. Depending on a school鈥檚 transfer credit acceptance policy, it鈥檚 often a seamless process to apply the coursework to a degree plan..听

Secondly, 肠辞苍肠耻谤谤别苍迟鈥痚苍谤辞濒濒尘别苍迟鈥痠s paid by the public school and its partnership with the college or university, not directly by the parents of the student. This helps with affordability, though students may need to purchase the required textbooks and school supplies.听

Because 肠辞苍肠耻谤谤别苍迟鈥痚苍谤辞濒濒尘别苍迟鈥痶akes place at school, it does not require an additional time commitment. The student in a 肠辞苍肠耻谤谤别苍迟鈥痚苍谤辞濒濒尘别苍迟鈥痯rogram takes a college-level class but does so at their鈥痟igh school, similarly to a regular English or math course.听听

Finally, 肠辞苍肠耻谤谤别苍迟鈥痚苍谤辞濒濒尘别苍迟鈥痯rovides a head start on the collegiate journey, allowing students to get to graduation more quickly.听

What is Dual鈥疎nrollment?听

Dual鈥痚nrollment鈥痯rograms require the student to attend college, either online or on-campus, earning credit for both college and鈥痟igh school鈥痝raduation requirements. Many participating colleges have programs specifically designed to serve as 诲耻补濒鈥痚苍谤辞濒濒尘别苍迟鈥痗lasses, and some programs offer courses taught by college faculty members in high school classrooms.听

Dual鈥痚nrollment鈥痙oes not necessarily require a formal school partnership, but the鈥痟igh school鈥痬ust be willing to accept dual credit programs as high school credit.听

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The Pros of Dual鈥疎nrollment听

Whether in-person or online, dual enrollment gives the student the chance to experience what college is really like before they are first-year students. For many, this 听is essential to finding success when beginning their higher-educational journey.听

Part of this is taking classes with college professors, providing the chance to learn at a slightly higher level than in the鈥痟igh school鈥痚nvironment and, setting the stage for academic expectations to come.听

Dual鈥痚nrollment鈥痑lso provides some flexibility. Students may be able to take classes in the evening or on the weekend, with some schools offering online options. This affords a鈥痟igh school鈥痵tudent to fit their college coursework around a busy schedule.听

Like 肠辞苍肠耻谤谤别苍迟鈥痚苍谤辞濒濒尘别苍迟, 诲耻补濒鈥痚苍谤辞濒濒尘别苍迟鈥痟elps students achieve鈥痗ollege credit鈥痺hile still in鈥痟igh school. This option allows students to see if they are a good fit for the college experience and take some time to work on college-level courses in a part-time environment. It also can shorten the time to degree and provide some cost savings.听

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How to Choose What鈥檚 Best for You

Both 肠辞苍肠耻谤谤别苍迟鈥痚苍谤辞濒濒尘别苍迟鈥痑苍诲 dual credit鈥痚nrollment鈥痯rovide 鈥痵tudents the chance to earn鈥痗ollege credit鈥痺hile completing their鈥痟igh school鈥痳equirements,. with common course offerings including English composition or higher-level math. 听

These two programs are not quite the same, however, with differences in the type of instruction received and the overall cost of the program.听

So, which one is right for you? To answer this, consider what is offered in your institution.. Since not all high schools have 肠辞苍肠耻谤谤别苍迟鈥痚苍谤辞濒濒尘别苍迟鈥痯artnerships, your only option may be 诲耻补濒鈥痚苍谤辞濒濒尘别苍迟. 听

Second, look at the colleges you鈥檙e considering. Do you need something you can easily transfer to another school, or are you set on attending the school offering the credits?听

Location matters, too. By enrolling in dual enrollment courses taught by college faculty members and based either on campus or within the online environment, you鈥檒l get a more comprehensive preview of the higher educational experience without jumping in feet-first.听

If your school offers 肠辞苍肠耻谤谤别苍迟鈥痚苍谤辞濒濒尘别苍迟, this can be a cost-effective option to complete some college credits while finishing high school. If your school does not, dual enrollment is also a cost-effective option that gives you a fuller sense of the college experience, though it likely is not tuition-free.听

If you are interested in either 肠辞苍肠耻谤谤别苍迟鈥痚苍谤辞濒濒尘别苍迟鈥�or dual enrollment and are involved in a Denver-area public school, Metropolitan State University of Denver has a program for you. We partner with several schools in the area to provide 肠辞苍肠耻谤谤别苍迟鈥痚苍谤辞濒濒尘别苍迟鈥痺ith minimal cost for families. To apply to be part of this program, talk to your school to see if you are qualified.听听

For other questions about dual or 肠辞苍肠耻谤谤别苍迟鈥痚苍谤辞濒濒尘别苍迟鈥痑苍诲 to see if it is a good fit for you, contact us 听today.鈥�听

Read more about one student taking advantage of 听and concurrent enrollment students at Smoky Hill High School .