With Dual Enrollment, high schoolers get a head start on undergraduate degrees

NATCHITOCHES - Maggie Ryan, a 2024 graduate of Many High School, will begin her college career already a step ahead. Ryan is one of 132 students from 17 high schools around the state who earned an Associate of General Studies (AGS) degree by taking dual enrollment courses through Northwestern State University.

By earning college credit in high school, dual enrollment students save time and money in pursuit of their bachelor's degrees, which often extends their TOPS eligibility towards application to a master's or other post-bachelor's degree. Dual enrollment students receive credit on both their high school and college transcripts for the same classes. NSU began awarding associate degrees to eligible high school students in 2016.

This fall, Ryan will matriculate into NSU classified as a junior with a double major in psychology and addiction studies. Ryan took all of her classes online, including the core classes required of NSU freshmen, such as English, math, social sciences, fine arts, history and others, as well as those in her major. She also earned English credits from a CLEP and AP tests.

"I would 100 percent recommend the DE program to other high schoolers. It might not be for everyone but if you are willing to put in the effort it is so worth it," Ryan said. "I know some people worry about going straight into college already being in the hard classes. I am so happy I did it and am happy I can take more advantage of my four years of TOPS."

NSU's dual enrollment numbers have risen consistently over the past two years.

"New schools, school districts and home study students are accepted prior to the beginning of the fall semester," said Gwen Fontenot, NSU's director of Electronic and Continuing Education. "Memorandums of Understanding are distributed during the spring semester prior to the beginning of fall semester in which they wish to participate. School districts, schools and home study students are required to participate in an informational webinar as part of the agreement. This ensures that policies and procedures are reviewed and understood."

Pre-requisites for the program vary depending on the program in which the student wishes to enter.

"Under deNSU, we offer Early College Access and Fast Forward. Early College Access is open for eligible 11^th and 12^th graders and is designed for students who want to earn a few dual enrollment credits. Fast Forward is the Associate of General Studies degree program for dual enrolled students, and is open to eligible 10^th, 11th and 12^th graders," Fontenot said.

Detailed criteria for admission to each program can be located on the deNSU webpage at: https://nsu.la/de . For information on dual enrollment, contact Dual Enrollment Program Coordinator Julie Longlois at [email protected].