Dual Credit Options Can Help Students Transition to the College Workload

High school students can take dual credit courses for free thanks to a grant through KHEAA.

Many students at GCHS can benefit from taking dual credit courses. A student in a dual credit course receives credit for both the high school and college levels.  Dual credit classes can give students a glimpse into the structure and workload of a college course. 

Many of the dual credit classes are free due to a program with KHEAA (Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority), and this can help ease the financial burden of a college education for many families. According to Lindsay Oberhausen, the dual credit coordinator for Bluegrass Community and Technical College, public high school students in Kentucky are currently entitled to general education scholarships and technical scholarships through KHEAA. 

Students can receive two Work Ready scholarships and two general education scholarships per junior and senior year of high school. This does not include the cost for books, online resource costs, insurance costs, etc. 

Many students don’t understand how lucky they are to be able to take discounted/free college classes before they even start college. While the workload might be more than you expected, it could be worth it in the end. College is expensive, even for students that receive scholarships.  Taking advantage of any free college credits available would be the way to go, even if a student is unsure of their career path in high school. 

Some dual credit classes are offered at the campus of GCHS, while others require students to take it on the college’s campus or online.  The dual credit courses offered vary from year to year.  Bryan Munoz has taken advantage of the flexibility that exists within the dual credit option.  “Currently, I am taking two courses online and two on campus at my school (Elkhorn Crossing School). This gives me the even split of online courses without direct instruction and those with in-person instruction,” said Munoz. 

Dual credit allows students to become more comfortable with the demands of college, while still having the support that high school provides. Matt Schosser teaches a dual credit English course on campus at GCHS.  One benefit of taking a dual credit on campus at GCHS is having a smaller class size. “The course I teach is required for every college student, so the classes at the college level are normally quite big. Very often students are learning on their own because they can’t schedule one-on-one time with their professors. Here, the classes are smaller. Students can see me whenever they need help. It’s much more controlled and that increases the odds of success,” said Schosser.

Dual credit math teacher Brooke Bruins acknowledged that the dual credit workload can be a lot for a high school student. “Dual credit classes require more time and effort than typical high school classes. Students need to have good time management skills and be willing to put in extra effort outside of class. Students will likely need to spend more time studying for exams than they have in high school classes. There is a reason that one semester of a dual credit counts for a full year of a high school course. It really can double the workload.”

Dual credit classes can also help students choose a major for when they attend college. Senior Abby Smith agrees with many that dual credit classes can not only prepare students for the future but also help them decide on a major. “I want to be a physical therapist, and my dual credit anatomy and physiology class with a lab made me sure of it,” stated Smith.

Smith likes knowing that dual credit can help her get some prerequisites out of the way before she truly starts college. “I have gotten a lot of my pre-reqs for UK out of the way already. I am doing a 6 year doctorate fast track, so it is very helpful to get credits early.” 

Many students feel as though they are going into college unprepared, but dual credit can be a great way to not feel that way. Dual credit courses can also help you decide if you truly want to attend college. “Truthfully, dual credit courses give you an insider of what the academic expectations are of a college student. Therefore, I believe that dual credit courses enable students to get the feel for what college may be and whether it suits their future or not,” said Munoz. 

Schosser agrees with Munoz in that dual credit courses can majorly prepare you for the future. He said, “It can give students a taste of what college-level classes are like, so they can see if they feel they can handle the workload.”