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For the first time ever, there are more dual enrollment students at Northeast State Community College during the spring semester compared to the recent fall semester.
High School Program Director Shelby McKenzie said there are nearly 1,000 high school students enrolled in college courses at Northeast State, marking the highest number of dual enrollment students in a spring semester ever.
The increase seen in dual enrollment followed months after Tennessee leaders voted to increase the number of college courses high school students can take for free.
“Many high school students are taking advantage of the five free college courses,” McKenzie said. “When the state increased the number of college courses high school students could take at no cost, many added more courses to their dual enrollment schedules.”
The current spring semester saw nearly 100 more students in dual enrollment compared to previous spring semesters.
Students who take advantage of the five free courses can earn credits equivalent to a full semester of college by the time they graduate high school – all at no cost.
Northeast State’s Career and Technical Education (CTE) Dual Enrollment Program allows students to explore different career paths such as welding, health care, cyber security and programming.
High school students who plan to pursue a bachelor’s degree can apply for Northeast State’s University Parallel Dual Enrollment Program, which allows students to earn college credits that are transferable to four-year universities.
Dual enrollment courses at Northeast State mirror the academic standards and quality of all other courses offered by the college.
McKenzie said that while the state changed some qualifying requirements to receive the dual enrollment grant, there are still ACT and GPA requirements to enroll in certain courses.
To learn more about the dual enrollment opportunities at Northeast State, visit www.NortheastState.edu/HSP, or email HSP@NortheastState.edu.