By: Dr. Greg Miller, Fleetwood Area School District Superintendent
With the ever-increasing costs of college and university education, there is no better time to look for cost savings than now. Traditional methods to save money, like living at home or finding scholarships, often are not enough on their own in many situations. Today’s high school students have another very effective option that has stemmed from partnerships between our high schools and local colleges and universities.
Today’s students can use dual enrollment courses to complete many college courses before graduating high school. These courses allow students to take both high school and college classes simultaneously. The Fleetwood School District offers over 17 dual enrollment courses with a tuition cost of under $100 per credit. While the district does not charge a fee, the colleges and universities provide these courses at a significantly reduced rate, offering substantial savings compared with typical college tuition.
By participating in dual enrollment courses, students can get a feel for a college course workload and accumulate credits toward their future college graduation requirements.
Many of the courses we offer will count toward general education requirements for many different majors. In recent years, we have had students reduce their time in college by a full year or acquire multiple degrees without extending their number of years in college. In doing so, students can save significantly on their future education expenses.
One challenge with dual enrollment courses is determining which ones colleges will accept for credit. Early identification of a future college or major can be helpful in ensuring the dual enrollment courses align with the student’s long-term academic goals. Many colleges now offer transfer calculators, making it easier for students to identify which dual enrollment courses will transfer and count toward their degree, allowing them to choose courses with confidence.
Most Fleetwood dual enrollment courses are through an agreement with Reading Area Community College. Students can use the college transfer calculator to verify that the course they are considering would transfer from RACC to their future college.
This year, many Berks County schools partnered with Kutztown University to provide students an additional opportunity through the Early College Academy for Education. Through this program, high school seniors considering a future in education were able to spend their mornings at the university three days per week to take courses toward a degree in education. The other two mornings, students get to spend time as an intern in a classroom. Participating students finish the year with 12 credits toward their degree while gaining valuable internship classroom experience.
Many other programs at local high schools, career centers, colleges and universities also offer college courses at a significantly reduced rate for high school students. These opportunities provide students with a jump on earning college credits, which can significantly decrease their future expenses.
It is best for high school students to have frequent conversations with their school counselors if this is an opportunity they wish to explore. School counselors can be a great resource in navigating what can seem like a very confusing process. The reality is many students are taking advantage of this opportunity and saving a lot of money by reducing their time in college.
Article was originally published on the Reading Eagle: https://www.readingeagle.com/2025/02/13/superintendents-forum-dual-enrollment-opportunities/