The Benefits of Taking Dual Credit Courses in College

As this father of a high school sophomore gets older, the list of things I wish someone would have told me when I was younger grows longer.

For instance, I wish someone would have made a bigger deal out of dual-credit courses when I was in high school.

Dual-credit courses are courses that some colleges offer to high school students so that they can get a jump on their college careers. Students receive simultaneous credit from both the college and the high school, while developing a better understanding of academic expectations in college – all at, in many cases, a reduced price. That last part – a chance to save some money on college tuition – is something that’s going to be pretty important to this dad in a couple of years.

So, if you are in high school or are the parent of a high school student, I urge you to do some research on colleges that offer dual-credit courses.

That said, to be successful as a dual-credit student, you are should be highly motivated and self-disciplined; have good study habits; be good at completing goals; and have good high school grades.

For me, arming my daughter with good information is going to be easy. I work at Indiana Tech in Fort Wayne, Ind., and our e-Start program makes it easy for high school juniors and seniors to earn college credit while they are in high school, regardless of where they live.

Indiana Tech’s e-Start courses are delivered online and have been developed to run congruently with a traditional high school semester. They are 16 weeks long and are completely asynchronous, making them ideal for high school students who are balancing sports and other activities. And, at $75 per course with the text book rental fee included, e-Start courses are very affordable. As an additional benefit, students are eligible for a $500 ($1,500 maximum) scholarship toward first-year tuition at Indiana Tech for every e-Start course completed.

Courses available through Indiana Tech’s e-Start program are:

ENG1250 English Composition I: This course is an introduction to expository writing for a variety of aims and audiences. Students learn to write as a process and are briefly introduced to research and proper documentation.

PSY1700 Introduction to Psychology: The fundamental principles of psychology including, but not limited to, research methodology, perception, development, motivation, consciousness, learning, thinking, stress management and social relationships.

SS1110 American Government: This course introduces the student to the meaning of politics, its relationship to the concept of political power and its impact upon governmental policy making. The course explores the nature and history of our political system and the various philosophical principles upon which it is based, and discusses national government institutions and the operation of national, state and local governments.

SS2800 Introduction to Sociology: An introduction to the scientific study of human society and social behavior, this course examines sociological theories of human behavior, cultural patterns and social change. Emphasis upon the influence of social and cultural forces on personal experience and social behavior in reference to the post industrial society.

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