The Siena College - High School Dual Enrollment Program offers many advantages for both high school students and their teachers.
Dual enrollment courses allow students:
1. To experience a college-level course.
2. To explore a field to determine possible long-term interest. For example, computer science is not offered at more than half of U.S. high schools. Tens of thousands of high school graduates interested in STEM fields start college not knowing much about a CS major.
3. To enroll in a course not normally offered by their high school (dual enrollment courses that involve a partnership between college and high school faculty might be the difference in a high school teacher being willing to teach a college-level course). Many high schools are too small to offer courses without external support.
4. To demonstrate that they can successfully complete college-level work (this can be a great advantage to students who have a mixed academic record during their first two or three years of high school).
5. To accumulate college credits which can provide scheduling flexibility for things like study abroad and internships during college years or even lead to early graduation and financial savings.
6. To take a college course where the grade is not determined by a single examination (an advantage over Advanced Placement courses offered by the College Board).
7. To take a college course over an entire high school year rather than in one semester (this can be important preparation for some students). Some courses are one-semester college courses spread across two high school semesters. Some courses are two-semester College courses taught in two high school semesters. Summer courses should not be less than 12 weeks.
Dual enrollment courses allow high school teachers:
1. To meet the needs of the students in their high schools.
2. To have more variety in their teaching assignments.
3. To teach a college-level course where instruction can be differentiated, and credit awarded for
high school only OR for both high school and college credit.