Gadsden State sees record number of dual-enrollment students

Gadsden State Community College had a record number of dual enrollment students in its Fall 2022 and Spring 2023 semesters, according to a news release from the college.

The college saw 1,537 students taking high school and college courses simultaneously, according to the release. By comparison, there were only 276 dual-enrollment students in the Fall 2014 semester. The current numbers reflect a 178% increase from then.

“We continue to see an increase in dual enrollment students each academic year,” school President Kathy Murphy said. “More students are recognizing the benefits of taking dual enrollment college classes while in high school.”

Tonya Douthitt, coordinator of the school’s dual enrollment program, credits significant increases in funding from the Alabama Community College System, from $26,000 in Fiscal Year 2013 to more than $975,000 for the current fiscal year

More than $5.4 million has been granted to Gadsden State for dual-enrollment students since 2014, according to the release. More than 40 dual-enrollment courses were added at various high school campuses in the college’s service area (Etowah, Calhoun, Cherokee, Cleburne and St. Clair counties) over the same period.

Dual-enrollment courses also are available in traditional, online and hybrid formats.

“We have a wide variety of programs and course options available to our high school students,” Douthitt said. “Students can follow a career path that is high-wage and high-demand or they can explore opportunities in STEM-related academic courses, like math and science.”

Seventeen dual-enrollment students received certifications during Gadsden State’s recent commencement ceremony at its Cherokee County campus. “It is remarkable that these young people are able to complete college course requirements to earn a certification before they even receive their high school diploma,” Murphy said, adding that the dual enrollment program “put them ahead of the game.”

The certifications were as welders or emergency medical technicians, and verify that those students are prepared for entry-level employment in those fields.

“These students have an advantage over some of their peers because they are able to go straight into the workforce right after high school graduation or they are already well on their way to earning an associate degree,” Douthitt said. “In the end, they will most likely earn their degree well before those who were not dually enrolled.”

Students seeking dual enrollment must be a sophomore, junior or senior in high school with a cumulative 2.5 GPA to take academic courses or 2.0 to take career tech courses. They also must have permission from their parents and a school official.

Scholarships are available through the ACCS’ Career Technical Dual Enrollment Grant (career tech and STEM programs are prioritized). Funding also is available for books, materials and supplies.

Visit gadsdenstate.edu/dualenrollment for more information on the program.

This article originally appeared on The Gadsden Times: Gadsden State's dual-enrollment program on the rise