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Pros and Cons of Dual Enrollment

Demand for dual enrollment, also called concurrent enrollment, is growing in our high schools. In fact, one in five community college students are high school students. 2.5 million high school students took a college course in 2022-23, many of those were in California. It is not uncommon for students to earn an AA before they have even graduated high school. These college-level classes are marketed as being rigorous and as granting college credits while counting double for high school credit. What’s not to like?

What is it?

There is plenty to like, but, as with everything, it is important to know all the facts. Dual enrollment is defined as when high school students take college-level courses. This can look several different ways. A high school student might enroll in a college course on their own to explore classes and interests beyond what their high school offers. If the student wants high school credit, the high school might need to approve the class . This option is often used when a student has maxed-out available courses in a certain subject. In another scenario, a high school might have an agreement with a college to have a course taught on the high school campus. These courses follow the college curriculum and might be taught by the college’s faculty or by a high school teacher who has been trained in the curriculum and certified by the college. Another option is high school “articulation” when a community college reviews a high school’s Career Technical Education (CTE) curriculum and decides to grant college credit for the coursework.

Each of these iterations of dual enrollment come with their own considerations. Who is teaching it? Who pays for it? Is the college credit transferable? Is it better than taking an equivalent Advanced Placement class? The fact that there are so many questions and a lack of consistency leads many to be skeptical of the value of these courses.

Why Does it Matter?

The ability to offer college courses gives high schools the opportunity to offer practical career-oriented classes and/or more advanced classes that they might not have otherwise been able to. These, however, come at a price usually shouldered by the district but sometimes shared by the parents. Unfortunately, not all districts or the families they serve have room in their budgets for this expense. This creates an accessibility issue as dual enrollment options are typically more prevalent in wealthier districts.

A commonly asked question is how taking college courses factors into admissions. The answer can vary widely between institutions. There is consensus that these courses are more advanced than standard high school classes and choosing to take them demonstrates a student’s desire to go above and beyond the minimum requirements. It shows they have taken advantage of all opportunities available to them. But which is viewed as more rigorous when there is an equivalent AP course? The UCs do not have a preference among the various forms of advanced coursework, but that is not universal. Community college courses are generally considered easier than AP courses, and unlike the AP, the curriculum is not standardized. These facts can be a consideration when a transcript is being evaluated.

What about that elusive promise of college credit at the end of the course? The college credit awarded is often not transferable to the college or university where a student eventually enrolls. Credit is more widely granted for high AP test scores, but colleges have different policies about that as well, and it can depend on the course and the test result. In other words, not all AP courses or test results are treated equally. Additionally, students often elect to not take the AP test thus eliminating all possibility of getting credit.

For these reasons and more, at the end of the day if asked which class a student should take next year, I am most likely going to say, “It depends.”

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Do You Know the Secret Sauce?

The answer to that question along with how open you are to new information might fundamentally change your college admissions process. Many students and their parents enter the college admissions season with an abundance of misconceptions. One of the most striking examples is what students think that the colleges are prioritizing when they are making admissions decisions.

NACAC (National Association for College Admission Counseling) teamed with Harris Polls to do a study on students’ perceptions about the college admissions process. The results provide needed insight into the student perspective. Everyone involved in college admissions should consider what the students are thinking so that corrective action can be taken to assure college-bound students know what is expected of them. They should have the appropriate tools to plan according to these expectations.

Students’ Common Misconceptions

Unfortunately, the poll results show many discrepancies between what students think they need to present to colleges and what colleges are actually looking for. Over 56% of those polled believe that GPA in all courses and test scores (SAT/ACT) are the most important factors. Extracurricular activities came in next at 34% and application essays at 33%. Another 1/3 of those surveyed also felt that grades in college prep courses were an important factor. Students felt that the least important factors are course rigor, teacher recommendations, interviews, demonstrated interest, and at the bottom, the counselor recommendation.

What Colleges are Assessing


Compare that with what colleges report that they are primarily assessing when reading applications. An overwhelming number of colleges (76%) listed GPA in college prep courses as the most important factor. Overall GPA and strength of curriculum came next. 26% of students felt strength of curriculum mattered compared to 63% of colleges. This is a problem as students throughout high school inappropriately weigh predicted grades over challenge when making course selections. After those three heavy weights, come other considerations such as character attributes (28%), essay (19%), and measured interest in attending (16%). Surprisingly, colleges rank test scores at 5%. This, of course, cannot be evaluated without context and the winds are always changing on this. It could vary significantly between schools, but I do think it is an indicator that students who overwhelmingly think it is the second most important factor need to evaluate it in context. If a school requires it, it is probably significant as it could verify the legitimacy of a high GPA. It would never, however, be more important than, say, strength of schedule. On the other hand, many ”test optional” schools are truly that, test optional. For those, it may really be closer to that 5% on the importance scale. It could be higher, though, as some are test optional in name only. That is when insider knowledge of a school’s admission process can be really helpful.

All in all, there is a disconnect between what colleges value and what applicants think they value. I hope that this data will help families plan and put things in perspective. The secret sauce is challenging yourself in high school course selection and working hard to achieve good grades in those challenging classes. Writing ability, interest in attending, recommendations, and quality of extracurricular activities follow in level of importance.

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Do the Math!

                              

concentrated black kid doing sums
Photo by Katerina Holmes on Pexels.com

I have a professional crush. His name is Rick Clark. He spent many years as the Director of Admissions at Georgia Tech and started an amazing blog on his views on college admissions. I recommend you look up the blog and read some of the ones in the archives.  He is now the Executive Director of Strategic Student Access at Tech. Lucky for me he was the keynote speaker at the convention I attended in June, and he did not disappoint. The only thing I regret was not getting a selfie with my crush. In any event, he is focused on the college applicant experience and offers sage advice on reasonable approaches to find the best fit school. So what was my biggest take-away? “Don’t apply where you would not go!”

It’s that simple. Do yourself and everyone else a favor and eliminate the schools from your list where either geographic, academic, financial, or social considerations would keep you from attending. Why? Because you can play a part in controlling the legitimacy of admission rates. How often have you or your parents been shocked to see an admissions rate that was way lower than expected? Has that school become “better?” Because that is what we tend to think, a low admissions rate means it’s an academically stronger school. When, in actuality, it is probably merely the result of an increase in applications. If the size of its freshman class has not grown and it is experiencing a rise in applications, for whatever reason, then the ratio will show a lower admission rate. This is simple math involving numerators and denominators and is irrespective of quality of academics.

Rick Clark also said in his keynote address that applicants should not apply to 10 schools with admit rates of 10% thinking that that increases their chances to 100%. “That is not how math works!” More “reach” schools does not increase your chances for admission, but it does increase your chances for heart break. Trust me, it hurts every time you find out that you didn’t get into a school. No matter how resilient you think you are or how many times you say that you knew it wasn’t going to happen, it is painful to open an email that says, “We regret to inform you…. We wish you the best of luck.”

On the flip side, don’t apply to too many “likely” schools, either. Pick two or three that you are genuinely interested in and can see yourself attending. Make sure that it is truly “safe” by looking at the numbers and not relying on hearsay or what your parents remember from their application days. One good tactic is to apply early to a school with rolling admissions. Generally, you will hear back in a short period of time and then you will, hopefully, have an acceptance in your back pocket. One reason not to go overboard with these applications is out of fairness to the school and to other applicants. In addition to throwing away money, you could be taking a spot from someone who needs it and wasting resources at the university as they try to persuade you to enroll.

Your college list should have just a few dream schools and a small number of schools where you are likely to be accepted. The bulk of your applications should be going to the schools in the middle, the target schools. This is the sweet spot. This is where your hard work can truly pay off reaping the most colleges to choose from next spring. I think Rick Clark would agree.

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Three Ways to Help You Get In

The following advice is not appropriate for most and choices should be made based on personal context and life-balance. High school experience and mental health should not be ignored in the pursuit of a college with a brand name.

Because You Asked

“That school is a “reach” for everybody!”
Well, not everybody. After all, even Stanford accepts some students, so that begs the question: Who are these “chosen” ones? And, importantly, how can you position yourself to be competitive for admissions at highly selective schools?

Memorial Chapel, Stanford University

While selective admissions may seem like a lottery where applicants’ skills take a back seat to luck, admissions officers are not just pulling names out of a hat. There are many moving parts, but be assured each application is thoughtfully considered.

The most successful are those applicants who show that they are driven in all aspects of their lives. They display intellectual curiosity and are undeniably ready for a rigorous academic environment. Colleges are also looking for students whose experiences and learning would bring a diversity of ideas and perspectives to the campus. Here are three ways to help you be that worthy applicant.

Transcript

Obviously, your grades matter. Unfortunately, P.E. grades don’t, but the rest can. Different colleges or programs within a college look at transcripts differently, so it is not a one-size-fits-all scenario. It’s safe to say, though, that selective schools are looking for how you have challenged yourself, and if you have taken advantage of most academic opportunities available to you. Don’t elect to have a free period senior year if you have not signed up for five academic courses. If you are an “A” student in science, don’t skip taking chemistry, biology, or physics. It also matters if your school offers an array of AP classes, and you only took one, and it was AP Human Geography.

Furthermore, your course selection should strongly support your intended major. Colleges are looking for students who are ready to hit the ground running and assess that by looking at the transcript. Business programs expect their students to have taken calculus or at least be calculus-ready, prospective nurses should have taken chemistry, and engineers, well, should have done all the above.

Extracurricular Activities

Students need to think of their extracurriculars not as hours tallied but as experiences gained. This could be in the form of community involvement, academic pursuits, or valuable work-experience. Think going above the norm. This could be by raising a large sum of money for a cause that is meaningful to you or finding a research opportunity (bonus if you can get your name listed on a published paper) or landing an internship with a business that really helps you refine your career goals. Your activities should be meaningful and reflect persistence and dedication. Colleges believe worthwhile pursuits outside of the classroom will help shape you into caring, socially aware, and engaged future college students.

As a Last Resort

Decreasing admissions percentages are most often explained by the increasing numbers of students applying. The numerator is holding steady while the denominator is growing. Test optional policies, in particular, have driven applicants to apply to multiple schools that would previously have been out of reach for them. Published rankings also popularize a select group of schools making them attractive to the same applicants. Lastly, the Common App and to a lesser degree the Coalition App make it seem easy to send out multiple applications. Students are evaluated in their own context meaning they are compared with their schoolmates. To a certain extent it matters where their peers are applying. I am only half-joking when I say, you should convince your friends not to apply to your favorite school. Tell them you visited, hated it, and the food was gross. Problem solved!

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In the Spotlight: Legacy Admissions

We have all heard by now that the Supreme Court has ruled against Harvard University and University of North Carolina by striking down race-conscious admissions. While the impact of this is debatable, we know that affected colleges will need to make some adjustments as to how they handle applications.

Affirmative Action has, however, recently only been used by a relatively small group of colleges. Like Harvard and UNC, they are typically more selective colleges. Less selective colleges don’t share the same struggles to enroll minorities. Additionally, nine states, California included, had already banned race-conscious admissions.

Even though a majority of schools are not directly affected by SCOTUS’s decision, colleges are focused and determined to enroll diverse student bodies. The learning environment is enriched by the presence of a variety of perspectives inherent in students from different backgrounds and cultures with a variety of experiences and interests. Even with their usually sincere dedication to enrolling more underrepresented students and increasing accessibility, colleges are being scrutinized for hanging on to a tradition many feel negates these efforts, the consideration of legacy in admissions.

The tradition of giving admission preference to children of alumni is primarily money driven. Studies show that legacy alumni are more likely to donate to their alma mater as they have a multigenerational loyalty which is often expressed in the form of large checks. Yield is yet another plus for the universities; legacies are more likely to attend, if admitted, taking the guesswork out of planning a freshman class.

In wake of the decision to ban Affirmative Action, colleges are coming under more pressure to prove that they are not giving preferential treatment to white applicants coming from advantaged backgrounds. Schools are being pressured to ban legacy admissions to prove to the world that they are truly striving to enroll racially diverse student bodies. The feeling is that if race cannot be considered, then neither should legacy.

Some of the schools that have claimed to have stopped the practice include MIT, Northeastern, Cal Tech, Johns Hopkins, Amherst, the University of California system, University of Texas and Texas A&M. Nevertheless, it’s been estimated that 42% of private colleges and 6% of public schools still use the practice to some degree.

Organized protests are springing up in the wake of the Supreme Court’s ruling. One organization is asking alumni to withhold donations until the practice is banned. Another was formed by a civil rights group and later piggybacked by the NAACP asking colleges to “’even the playing field” by taking measures such as banning legacy admissions. At the end of the day, consideration of legacy in admissions is not a “good look” for universities. The question is, are they willing to give up the $?

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I Got Waitlisted

One of my professional organizations is having its yearly convention in DC. With it comes the opportunity to go on one of five college tour trips. Out of the five, one was my favorite by far. It’s only one day long (difficult to be away much in June) and was to George Washington and Catholic Universities. The former makes it on my students’ lists on a regular basis, and the latter is a school that I have a growing interest to explore. These schools were relevant. The trip had everything I desired; it was a good fit.

It was full, and they waitlisted me, enrollment management.

These college tours are limited to fifty people, and as a matter of fact, they want to have exactly fifty people, not 49, not 51. It’s the sweet spot for college tours. That number of participants makes our visit to each campus worth the school’s time without being overwhelming. They often provide breakfast or lunch, and a campus tour led by student volunteers, followed by an admissions information session. They really roll out the red carpet for us. Fifty people also fit nicely on a tour bus, it’s a manageable crowd for the coordinator, and things tend to run smoothly.

Why was I not good enough to have lunch at George Washington University? The answer, as always, is “enrollment management.”

Does any of this ring a bell? So ironic to be waitlisted as a college consultant in the spring when the words, “I got waitlisted,” keep popping out of the mouths of my seniors. Colleges use waitlists for enrollment management. They need to accurately predict the number of people who will accept their offers of admission in order to yield a freshman class that is a predetermined and precise number. Implementing waitlists allows them to fill in the gaps if they under-yielded (fewer people opted to enroll than they predicted) thus precisely hitting the sweet spot. We don’t know these prediction models, and they change every year. That is why looking at data of how many got off a waitlist one year is not an indicator of what could happen this year. The total number in the freshmen class is not the only responsibility that enrollment managers have. They manage the college’s needs as determined by an assortment of stakeholders and work to meet these institutional priorities during the admissions cycle. Are they growing their science profile and need more STEM students? Did nursing over-enroll last year creating a squeeze for clinicals? Are there too many women and not enough men? Questions such as these explain why waitlists are unranked; they will draw from the pool of applicants that best fills any gaps in the class.

Your takeaway should be that XYZ University does think you are admissible, and they know you would thrive at their college. They want you; they just don’t have the room. I am moving on by looking at other options for college tours and getting excited about the prospects. I suggest that you do the same.