Dual Enrollment

WHAT IS DUAL ENROLLMENT?

Dual Enrollment (DE) is a Georgia funded program that allows high school students to take college courses that can simultaneously count toward high school and college requirements. 

ELIGIBLE STUDENTS MUST: 

  • Attend eligible public, private or home school high schools in Georgia
  • Be enrolled in 11th or 12th grade
  • Be a Georgia resident (no additional citizenship required)
  • Meet college admissions requirement for their DE program
  • Meet high school participation requirements specific to Newton County:
    • Be on track for graduation
    • Be in good academic standing
  • Must not have already received a high school diploma
  • Take the End of Course (EOC) test for any EOC related courses taken at the college. 

FUNDING AND COST:

  • Eligible students receive 100% funding up to 30 semester hours/45 quarter hours program Funding Cap, for: 
    • Tuition
    • Books
    • Mandatory Fees
    • Funding pays for approved core courses (English, Math, Science, Social Studies, World/Foreign Languages) and Career Technical Agricultural Educational (CTAE) classes that are aligned with identified career pathways).
  • The funding is paid directly to the college. The award chart for Dual Enrollment can be found on GAFutures.

IMPACT ON HOPE AND ZELL MILLER SCHOLARSHIP AND GRANTS ELIGIBILITY

  • Core credits earned and posted on the high school transcript are calculated into the student's initial HOPE GPA as described on GAFutures.
  • Credit Hours paid for by DE are not counted toward the Attempted Hours or Combined Attempted Hours limit for HOPE and Zell Miller Scholarships at the college level.

Am I a Good Fit for Dual Enrollment?
When considering Dual Enrollment (DE), students and parents should understand the characteristics of students who are successful in college classes. Students who are considering the DE program need to be: 

  • Organized
  • Willing, eager, and able to take initiative
  • Clear about the reason for their interest in DE
  • Mature
  • A self-advocate
  • Flexible
  • A good time manager
  • Eligible for admission to the college
  • Have reliable transportation and parking at both the college and high school
  • Respond to and initiate communications with the college and high school in a timely manner (within 24 hours or less) - check your email!

WHAT ARE THE PROS AND CONS OF DUAL ENROLLMENT?

PROS

  • All GA public, private, and eligible home school students are eligible for funding in 11th and 12th grade.
  • Tuition, books, and mandatory fees are 100% covered up to a funding cap of 30 semester hours/45 quarter hours. Some students may be eligible for self pay. 
  • Potential for simultaneous credit for high school and college.
  • College credits are not based on a test score like (like AP)
  • Can ease the transition from high to college.
  • Students can earn an Associate's Degree, Technical Diploma, or Technical Certifications.
  • Students can start pursuing career goals earlier.
  • Greater access to a larger variety of courses.
  • More flexibility in scheduling.
  • Some students are truly ready to "Move On" (When Ready)

CONS

  • There may be some non-mandatory fees. Examples - parking, course specific fees, lab materials, personal items, etc- these are usually nominal
  • Challenging classes taught by college professors.
  • Colleges communicate directly with the student, usually via email.
  • Some competitive collages may not consider DE to be as rigorous as AP.
  • Credit transferability is not guaranteed, especially for out-of-state and private colleges. 
  • Students may miss high school announcements and activities.
  • Lack of daily interaction with friends may impact relationships, involvement etc. 
  • Students will be in class with college students, as well as older adults.
  • College and high school calendars (thus, breaks) often DO NOT align.
  • Professors are unlikely to excuse absences for trips, playoff games, etc.
  • Special Student Services must be arranged by the student/parent directly with the college (504, IEP, Healthcare Plans, etc). Please speak with your case manager PRIOR to pursuing this option to determine appropriateness of DE. College accommodations can be different than high school accommodations. 
  • Student must factor in travel time, traffic, changing bell schedules, etc. The two schedules might "clash" resulting in adjustments; sometimes conflicts are unresolvable. Students should schedule DE courses around their high school schedules.

DE COURSES VS AP COURSES

  • DE courses and AP courses are viewed differently by each college and university. Some colleges have no preference. Some may prefer one over the other. Most competitive colleges determine rigor by evaluating what options are available to the student within the high school; therefore, for some high schools, DE may be a strong choice but for others, it may not be if students have many options available to them at the high school.
  • It is the student/parent responsibility to verify college preferences/admissions/degree requirements for their schools of interest before deciding to participate in the DE program. 
  • As it is with AP courses, DE courses may or may not be accepted by every college or meet requirements for certain degree programs. 
HOW DO I APPLY FOR DUAL ENROLLMENT?

The application process for the EHS Dual Enrollment Program can be found HERE.
If you have any questions or concerns about the EHS Dual Enrollment Program please contact Jahmar Tate via email at [email protected] or via phone at 770-784-2920 ext. 4320