Are dual credit classes worth it?

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Rhegan Fritzler, Staff Writer

In schools everywhere, dual credit courses are becoming more and more prevalent. Dual credit courses are classes that are college level, usually taught by a college instructor, that are taken for high school credit as well as college credit. These classes give students a jump-start on college and gauge whether or not they are ready for that level of classes. But are these classes helpful or necessary? Are they worth it?
There are several reasons for students to participate in dual credit courses. The first is that it gives high school students an insight as to what college coursework is like. Many students benefit from not having to walk blindly into a situation completely different from high school.
Next, students may be able to benefit from classes not offered in their high school. An example is that AHS offers WNCC Botany and Zoology classes. If these classes were not offered through the college, it wouldn’t be avaliable to students.
Additionally, these classes help students zero in on their program of study that they are preparing for. A psychology major hopeful can take psychology classes, and an English major can take English-themed courses, and so on. Also, students who may think they want to be in one major can take classes in that field during high school for less money, and not lose as much money as they would otherwise is they change majors. Similarly, “it gives these students a chance to really experience college and decide if a four-year college is for them,” as noted by Shannon Garwood.
Students can take these dual credit courses if they aren’t able to fit AP classes into their schedule, or if the AP classes they need are not offered. There is another example of this right here in our school. Seniors during the 2016-2017 school year will be able to take dual credit American Government and Economics classes, since there is no “honors” courses for these classes in our school.
In addition, there are an endless number of courses available to students. Classes are offered as “live classes” on the WNCC-Alliance campus and at the high school. But, students can also take online classes through WNCC, UNL, and NCTA.
Lastly, and maybe one of the biggest benefits of dual credit courses, is that students can start accumulating college credit. Students walk into college with more credits, and they have an advantage over the freshman with no credits. Mrs. Garwood, when asked about some of the reasons to take classes, said that the students would be “ahead when they got to college.”
Just as there are several reasons to take a dual credit course, there are also many reasons not to enroll in these classes. First, if the same class that is offered through the college is offered through the high school, it may be better financially to take it through the high school. Classes taken through dual credit are about half price, but, although the cost is lower than it would be in college, they can still come out to be pretty pricey for some families.
Additionally, some classes may be unnecessary. For example, the Music Appreciation class would only pay off if the student is going to be a music major, or if they use it as their humanities class, which is usually a general requirement.
Next, students may not understand how permanent dual credit courses are. These are real college courses for real college credit. They go on the student’s permanent record. Many high school students don’t take their high school classes seriously, let alone a college class. If a student slacks off during their high school dual credit courses, it could hurt them in the long run. This, according to Mrs. Garwood, is one of the biggest downfalls of these courses.
Similarly, these classes, since they are college level, are much harder than high school classes. Some students may not be able to handle the intensity of them. Although they are harder than your average class, Mr. Oestman recognized that sometimes, even though these classes are put in place to prepare students for college, they don’t always do that efficiently.
Another issue is that some students feel they need to take as many credits as possible, causing them to ultimately lose time in the high school building. There fore, the students lost the “high school experience” which they can only get for that short four years they are there.
A concern that Mrs. Garwood has with these courses is that students don’t always show up. They make excuses and decide not to go. This could hurt their grade, and again, that grade gets recorded on their permanent record and follows them.
Mr. Oestman has concerns with the classes, stating that the credits don’t always transfer efficiently out of state. He also recognized the problems with gaining too much credit over their high school career.
If a student receives over 29 credits, they are no longer considered a freshman. They may lose out on freshman scholarships and may even be forced to declare a major as soon as they walk in the doors of their college. Most students are not ready to do this.
Mr. Oestman and Mrs. Garwood both agreed that the best thing a student could do before taking these classes is to be informed on the pros and cons of them. Know what you are taking and take into account the “unintended consequences” of taking the wrong courses.
So, are dual credit classes worth it? That’s up to the student taking them. These courses will be a different experiences for everyone. Are you ready?