This is the last of my 3 part series on college courses and the homeschooler. Previously I discussed auditing college classes and taking AP courses. The third option I will discuss for students preparing for college is dual enrollment.
Duel enrollment is when a student is enrolled simultaneously in high school and college at the same time. The college level courses they would take would also satisfy high school diploma requirements. Duel enrollment is offered through most high schools in partnership with local colleges.
Since Duel enrollment is a public school program for advanced students, it sticky subject amongst the homeschooling community. Duel enrollment teeters on the verge of not technically homeschooling. Barbara Edtl Shelton argues that duel enrollment is in fact, public school.
“The student must be enrolled at a local public high school because funds from the state are channeled through the high school to the college. So homeschooled students may theoretically enroll at the local high school, not take even a single class, but take all their classes at the college.”
A student however, does not have to participate in a dual enrollment program to get the benefits of dual enrollment. Parents of course, can opt to just pay for the college courses as a non-matriculated student, and there would be no public money involved. Therefore they would be once again be technically homeschooling.
A student taking duel enrollment classes has a great advantage over children who take the traditional route. Whether the student participates formally (and for free) through local high schools, or independently by just taking college courses and applying the credits to a homeschool diploma, they are working on their college degree while completing their high school education. Thus, they are eliminating 1- 4 years from their educational time line.
Every spring, the Internet and newspapers are full of stories of homeschooled kids who have finished college between the ages of 15-19. These students most likely participated in some form of duel enrollment program.
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