How Dual Enrollment Drives Student Success

According to the latest data from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center, the six-year college completion rate for the Fall 2015 cohort was 62.2%, an increase of 1.4% over Fall 2014. And while six-year completion rates increased in two-thirds of the states during this time, the fact that we’re reporting six-year completion rates shows that many students are still struggling to complete their degree on time.

Not only do 88% of students who participate in dual enrollment programs go on to attend college, they are also more likely to complete their degree in less time than their non-participating peers. In fact, depending on how many dual enrollment credits they amass in high school, some students can eliminate one or two years from their time in college, enabling them to graduate in less time.

Dual enrollment is also a powerful lever for closing equity gaps, particularly for low-income students and students of color. Students from low-income backgrounds and/or school districts were 10% more likely to enter college after high school when they participated in dual enrollment programs. And students in majority/minority school districts who participated in dual enrollment were 32-56% more likely to go to college than their non-participating peers.