One of the most popular routes taken by high school students wanting to challenge themselves academically is dual enrollment. For many students, this allows them to earn an associates degree by the time that they graduate high school, saving thousands of dollars. However, there’s a lot of confusion about how those degrees, or dual enrollment in general, apply overseas. Believe it or not, even in cases where the university doesn’t explicitly state that they consider dual enrollment courses, or even when they say that they don’t look at them, taking dual enrollment courses can be one of the smartest moves a student can take in high school.
Applying to Overseas Universities with a Few Dual Enrollment Courses
Many students end up with a few dual enrollment courses, and these can be invaluable. For many universities, these are valued on the same level as AP or IB courses. Let that sink in for a minute – unless you’re actively looking at a university that only considers AP exams or the IB Diploma, Dual Enrollment courses can be a great solution. After all, if they’re good enough for American universities, then they’re good enough to prove you’re ready for European or other international coursework.
Of course, there are some exceptions. In these cases, a dual enrollment course can still be valuable. Typically, this can go one of two different ways. First, a dual enrollment course is a great way to demonstrate your interest in a subject for which no comparable AP or A-Level exam exists. For students interested in philosophy, there is no better option, as well as for students interested in advanced math, or even less commonly taught subjects, like British literature.
Second, the courses can be an excellent preparation for the AP exam in their own right. After all, statistics is statistics, whether it is on the AP exam or a community college classroom. While it is certainly advantageous (and highly recommended) to brush up on the idiosyncrasies of the AP exams, as well as to make sure you’ve covered any gaps in knowledge, this can be an excellent approach for preparation.
Applying to Overseas Universities with at least an Academic Year of Coursework
For students lucky enough to complete a full year of coursework, much less an associates degree, their options open up considerably. More universities are likely to consider a student university ready if they have, in fact, already done a year of academic study at the post-secondary level. Remember that foreign universities are largely unaware of the differences between American high schools, but many of them agree that a full year of college study meets the same level of demands placed by A-levels, the French Bac, or the Liceo Classico.
In fact, some students might find that they are able to accelerate their studies, much like in the US, with more completed credits. We find that this is most true for programs in Scotland or Ireland, as well as some in England, where the student can demonstrate that they have already taken the same courses at the dual enrollment level. STEM students typically find the most luck here.
Of course, not every university does accept this qualification (looking at you, Oxford and Cambridge), but it still shows that you’re challenging yourself. A student with high grades on a year of dual enrollment and 4 fives on AP exams will outpace a student with 5 fives at Oxford, all other things equal.
Going to college in Europe as an American, or anywhere else, is not something to consider lightly, but it can allow you to save time and money. Dual enrollment courses, much like in the US, are a great way to save time and money on college, but also prove you’re academically prepared.