Heather Raynes instructs a Computer Information System dual enrollment class at Fort Defiance High School.
Dual Enrollment Classes Jump Start a College Career
For high school juniors and seniors who are looking for challenging courses that earn college credit, BRCC dual enrollment (DE) classes are the way to go. DE is offered at 17 local high schools with over 700 students taking advantage of the classes in the fall. Students can sign up for a variety of classes, including math and English courses to satisfy most colleges’ general education requirements. In addition, DE classes in specialized areas like architectural drawing or computer information systems are designed for students with clear educational and career goals.
“Dual enrollment is a great option for academically mature students who have a career plan or goal in an occupational or technical field, says Ellyn Alt, a BRCC enrollment services specialist. “They can take classes at the college level that further their interests and get them started on a college career.”
One such career-minded student, Kamela Malcolm, took classes at Buffalo Gap High School in basic technical drawing and architectural drawing. Malcolm is now at BRCC pursuing an A.A.S. with plans to transfer to Virginia Tech to study civil engineering.
“I would tell students to definitely take dual enrollment courses. It will help you see what you want to do,” says Kamela. “It gives you a head start. You can get the basic general education out of the way, and you can focus on what you want to major in.”
Alt says DE courses have a couple of advantages over advanced placement courses offered in many high schools in terms of requirements and cost. “With dual enrollment, you are starting a college transcript at BRCC,” she notes. “With advanced placement courses, students are required to take an AP Exam to be eligible for college credit. The credit is awarded based on the exam score and varies by institution.” Another advantage is cost. DE students pay a reduced tuition cost and other fees are not applied. “There is a financial advantage to getting that jump start.”
Lauren Hall-Mozingo, a 16-year-old junior at Fort Defiance High School, likes the challenge and convenience of a college-level course taught in her high school during the regular school day. “I would like to be a pharmacist or some other profession in the medical field and dual enrollment helped me move toward that goal by offering me a more challenging class and getting me used to the college work load,” she says.
Alt cautions that DE courses are not right for everyone. Because of the demanding workload, students need to be motivated and possess organizational skills. Alt explains, “The content of these courses is college level. They are just taught in the high school by a teacher who is credentialed to teach college level. By allowing the dual enrollment credit, we are saying that the requirements of this course are the same as they would be if the student were sitting in a class here at BRCC.”
For more information about dual enrollment, visit BRCC's high school admissions Webpage or call (540) 453-2509.
