Leeds High School students have a wonderful opportunity to earn college credit through our partnership with colleges in Alabama.

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What is Dual Enrollment?

Dual Enrollment is a program in which high school students take college courses and those courses count for college credit and high school credit. For example, a student takes Biology 101 with their college partner and that course can count for their college science course AND high school science class. The grade that the student earns for their college course will be applied to their paired high school course.

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How is Dual Enrollment different than AP (Advanced Placement)?

Both Dual Enrollment and AP courses are college-level courses that can allow high school students to earn college credit. With AP courses, students must pass a final exam administered by the College Board with a score of 3 or higher. It is ultimately up to colleges which AP courses are accepted and what scores are needed. For instance, a student can receive a passing score of a 3 on the exam, but their college of choice only accepts scores of 4 or 5. With Dual enrollment, if you pass the class- you get the credit.

 

AP courses are typically less expensive than Dual Enrollment. Students have to pay for the AP exam which is ~$100. Many times school systems will help with some or all of the costs for the exams and students who receive free/reduced lunch can receive deep discounts. With Dual Enrollment, students have to pay tuition, which is set by the colleges, and prices for one course can range from $400-$1500 per class. You'll also need to pay for any fees and books associated with the course. 

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But hold on....

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How much is Dual Enrollment?

The cost is usually ~$600 per course, however, some scholarships may be available for students depending on the college they choose for DE.

There is NO COST for students taking courses through the Career Tech and STEM programs at Alabama Community Colleges. No cost is another way to say FREE. You don't pay tuition, fees, or books! Students are able to take courses not under the CTE or STEM programs and through university Dual Enrollment programs..

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What courses can I take?

ANYTHING!!!! Some schools require students to choose from a preselected list of courses and others allow students to take any course that is offered at the school. LHS will determine what type of high school credit is awarded for each class. These are list of courses we recommend.

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Are the courses transferable?

Absolutely! Many of the general academic courses are easily transferable to other community colleges and four-year universities. Depending on the postsecondary school and your intended major, courses that you take in the Dual Enrollment program will count as required courses and some may count as elective courses. There are some instances where credits may not be transferred due to a student's college or major. The silver lining to this is that there is little to no financial cost to students and they are at least getting high school credit. Also, college admission officers are more apt to admit students who have Dual Enrollment courses on their transcripts because they feel that those students are already prepared. When you meet with Ms. Thomas to select your courses, you will use the Alabama Transfers Guide to compare the course offerings with potential colleges, so we can be sure that things are as closely aligned as possible.​

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How many courses can I take?

Students can take as many courses as they desire from most community colleges. Some university DE programs will limit the amount to two classes per semester. will take one course during their first Dual Enrollment semester. After successfully completing that course, students may take up to two classes each semester until they graduate, including summer semesters. For example, if a student takes two Dual Enrollment courses the summer after their freshman year and continue to take two course each semester, they can earn a minimum of 54! Students can earn a career certificate, an Associates degree, oe enter college as a junior! 

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How long is a Dual Enrollment course?

Most courses are one semester with the start time beginning after the LHS semester starts and before the LHS semester ends. There are some courses that are scheduled on a mini-term, so only ~8 weeks. Students may elect to take a course during a mini-term, however, should be prepared to put more time in due to the compacted schedule.

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How do I attend the course?

Most students take classes online, however, students do have the option to attend any of the campuses outside of normal school hours. You can request a Dual Enrollment Lab in your schedule or work on the course on your own time. 

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What if I need help with the course?

You will have a great support system of professors, classmates, and of course Ms. Thomas. Your professor is always your first point of contact and many times you will be taking the same course as the student next to you in your Dual Enrollment computer lab so you can work together. Because Dual Enrollment students need to earn a C or better to continue with the program, we all take great effort to ensure every student is successful. The biggest adjustment is going to be time management and being comfortable asking for help when needed. Students will have bi-weekly progress checks and should be on target or ahead of their assigned work.

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Who's Eligible?​

• Must be at least a sophomore.

• Must have a 2.5 GPA. (3.0 for some pr0grams)

• Must be a US Citizen.​​

 

Are there extra benefits to Dual Enrollment?

Other than free to low-cost college courses, students are also considered FULL college students. This means that students are eligible for discounts and benefits that are typically reserved for college students; Amazon Prime and Apple are just two that come to mind. Once a student has completed a Dual Enrollment course, they have earned a College and Career Readiness indicator and are eligible to participate in the Late Arrival/Early Release Program at LHS during their senior year. As mentioned, Dual Enrollment students have a leg up on the competition in the college application process, but can also leverage their success on scholarship and job applications. 

 

Next Steps

1. Decide why you want to do Dual Enrollment.

   1. Students take dual enrollment for two main reasons: 

      1. To be college and career ready

      2. To be college and career ready AND to get a head start on their college classes

   2. Once you have decided on your primary reason- this gives us a better idea of which college you should take your class.

      1. Most students who just want to be college and career ready, opt for Jeff State because they have free classes.

 

1. How much are you willing to pay?

   1. Dual enrollment classes range from $0-$600 depending on the class and scholarships available. 

      1. The cost of any Dual Enrollment course is much cheaper than what you will pay as a college student.

      2. All STEM classes through Jeff State are FREE!

      3. Students who are on Free/Reduced Lunch received FREE tuition at Auburn!

 

1. Apply and complete paperwork.

   1. Jeff State

   2. Alabama

   3. Auburn

   4. UAB

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Deadlines​

• March 30th- Summer and Fall Semesters

• October 10th- Spring Semester

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If you are planning to take Dual Enrollment courses through another college OR other Dual Enrollment courses at Jeff/Lawson, and need assistance with the process, please feel free to contact me.

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