Promises and Realities: Academic Advisors' Perspectives of Dual Enrollment Credit

Abstract

Dual enrollment (DE) is a common method for high schools to offer postsecondary preparation, exposure to college-level expectations, and, potentially, college credit. Some dual-enrollment students enter college with 24 semester hours. Upon matriculation, these high-credit DE (HCDE) students present unique challenges to college academic advisors. This study examined the experiences of these advisors by utilizing semi-structured interviews with academic advisors from Colorado who work with HCDE students. Advisors frequently had to address implications of DE credits on time to graduation, degree planning, potential costs savings, and tradeoffs with on-campus experiences. Implications include the need for four-year institutions to better communicate with high school students and counselors and to improve planning for the complexities of HCDE students.

Should Students with AP Credit Repeat Coursework in College? A Multilevel Analysis

“…However, evaluating the position that AP students should repeat introductory courses before moving on to subsequent courses is difficult, because most AP research on college success compares students with and without AP credit; there is limited research comparing student outcomes depending on whether students with AP credit choose to use it or not (De Urquidi et al, 2015). There is even less research about the guidance provided by advisors to students who enter college with significant amounts of credit (Witkowsky et al, 2020).…”

“…This finding offers some implications for academic advising practice and institutional policy. First, when students begin college with a substantial amount of credit, they can be more challenging to advise because they may already have credit for the general education courses students typically take in their first year (Troutman et al, 2018) faculty and primary-role advisors) must consider multiple factors that could influence the decision to use or repeat AP credit, such as whether students want to reduce time to degree or maximize deep understanding of the material, whether they need to take certain courses in college due to future career goals such as attending medical school, or whether they feel prepared to succeed alongside students in advanced courses who have more experience in college (Witkowsky et al, 2020). Advisors should also consider academic preparation beyond AP participation and exam performance when recommending whether to accept AP credit, because, for example, higher SAT scores and high school GPAs were also correlated with higher grades in target courses.…”

“…Literature suggests students might choose to repeat AP credit to strengthen their mastery of material or earn higher grades (Burkholder & Wieman, 2019;Sadler & Sonnert, 2010). In fact, academic advisors may recommend students repeat courses depending on students' future career plans or the advisor's knowledge of the student's curriculum (Troutman et al, 2018;Witkowsky et al, 2020). The factors in a student's decision to use or repeat AP credit and how academic advisors' suggestions influence those decisions, are still unknown; a follow-up study in which researchers explore how advisors assist individual students' decision-making around AP would be a valuable contribution to the literature on AP and college success.…”

“…Some selective institutions have stopped granting credit for AP exam scores or have raised exam score thresholds so that only students who score 5s receive credit (Burkholder & Wieman, 2019;Drew, 2011). Furthermore, how students are advised to use or repeat pre-college credit (e.g., AP credit, dual credit) depends on their specific degree plans and career goals, so students who expect to graduate more quickly because of AP credit may be disappointed (Witkowsky et al, 2020).…”