The Promises and Challenges of Dual Enrollment

In the fall of 2022, Sable Ferrara enrolled in a few online courses at a community college near her home in Gainesville, Florida—the first step toward her dream of becoming a nurse. The move might have seemed typical if not for one thing; she was just 15.

While Ferrara was almost certainly the youngest in class, she was hardly the only high schooler taking college courses. Dual enrollment programs, which let students earn college credit while still in high school, have been around for decades. And they’ve been gaining momentum in recent years. According to a 2025 survey conducted by Tyton Partners, 2.5 million students participate in dual enrollment programs nationwide. That number is expected to grow by another 400,000 by 2030.

These programs offer compelling benefits for colleges and universities. As institutions look to strengthen future pipelines and build earlier connections with college-bound students, dual enrollment has become an increasingly powerful strategy. It creates pathways for engaged high school learners, like Ferrara, who are already motivated to continue their education, while helping colleges foster relationships that support long-term enrollment health.

The Growing Pains of Scaling 

While the promise of dual enrollment is undeniable, so are the challenges of scaling a quality program. One of the toughest is maintaining consistency across instructors and sites, since classes may be held in high schools, on college campuses or online. As one program director explains, her college partners with 38 high schools, each with its own approach to courses and pathways. “There’s no one-size-fits-all model,” she says.

Instructor readiness is another concern. High school teachers who participate in dual enrollment programs often need additional credentials to teach college-level coursework. But finding the time and funding for them isn’t always easy. In fact, 43% of dual enrollment program coordinators and directors cited training as their greatest hurdle, according to research from Tyton Partners.

Educators and administrators often need to expand dual enrollment while also keeping students—especially those taking their first college course—engaged. Add in the complexity of integrating onboarding and learning management systems, and the administrative burden only grows. “The biggest challenge with launching our program was the extensive systems support needed to fully support students,” says Mary Schulze Michener, EdD, assistant dean of Early College at Bethel University. “This included aligning technology platforms and creating processes for enrollment, advising, and academic support. Establishing these systems required cross-departmental collaboration and significant time investment to ensure equity and accessibility for all participants.”

The Value of Strong Partners

Scaling a dual enrollment program can be easier with the right support. Institutions benefit from partners who can help build strong program infrastructure, train faculty and staff, and make trusted, affordable learning accessible to every student.

McGraw Hill’s dual enrollment model is one example. Backed by more than 130 years of experience in learning solutions, it offers flexible pricing models that have saved students hundreds of millions of dollars; course materials written by established authors and experts; flexible digital learning platforms; and hands-on support with training, onboarding and program management.

The model’s impact is evident in classrooms around the country, like those at West Virginia University. Dr. Jennifer Ripley Steuckle, a Biology professor there, needed a way to provide college-level lab courses to more than 240 high school students scattered across the state. “Thanks to McGraw Hill’s support, I was able to create an engaging online lab course that simply wouldn’t have been possible otherwise,” she says. “It gives my dual enrollment students access to real lab experiences even where funding prevents in-person labs.”

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Earning Credits and so Much More

At the heart of every dual enrollment program are the students themselves.  Taking for-credit courses in high school helps learners find their academic footing, strengthen their skills, and build confidence for whatever comes next, whether that’s college or entering the workforce.

There are financial benefits, too. Many dual enrollment programs are free or heavily subsidized, which means students can earn college credit without the usual cost barriers or financial strain. Considering the average dual enrollment participant takes three or more college courses while still in high school, the savings can add up.

And the payoff often extends beyond high school. According to a recent report from the Community College Research Center at Columbia University’s Teachers College, dual-enrollment students are more likely to apply to and be admitted by a greater number of colleges, including more selective ones. For Black students in particular, each dual-enrollment credit they earn increases the likelihood of applying to a four-year college by 15.6%.

In Sable Ferrara’s case, dual enrollment has been a game-changer. By the time she graduated from high school in May 2025, she had racked up enough credits for an associate’s degree. Now, she’s studying to be a registered nurse, which she expects to finish in 18 months.

The condensed timeline has been an obvious advantage, but Ferrara also credits the dual enrollment program for helping her grow in other ways. “When I started college, I couldn’t drive; I was still living at home. But being there gave me a sense of what real responsibilities look like,” she says. “It also put into check that if I want this, I have to go earn it. Nobody’s making me be here.” 

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