The Mixed Methods Blog

Dual enrollment students, or "stealth transfer students," and their pathway are becoming increasingly hard to ignore. Aurely Garcia Tulloch explains the issues this raises for both two- and four-year institutions and how the transfer pathway could be better leveraged for increasing college access and equity in a new blog post originally published by Inside Higher Ed.

As dual enrollment participation has expanded, so too have the types of programs and courses offered. Lauren Schudde and Wonsun Ryu discuss how differences in course set up have the potential to shape students’ dual enrollment experiences and overall course performance, as well as their subsequent college enrollment decisions.

Earning college credit in high school enables more students—especially those historically underrepresented in higher education—to pursue college after high school. However, many students who stand to benefit the most from these opportunities often have limited access to them. Jessica Steiger breaks down a new CCRC brief that examines the potential of five different models to help underrepresented students enter college degree programs in high-opportunity fields.

Many community colleges offer dual enrollment courses at a lower tuition rate than is paid by post-high school students. But—as dual enrollment students have come to comprise a larger share of community college enrollments—can colleges afford to continue offering these courses at a discount? Clive Belfield, Davis Jenkins, and John Fink consider how community colleges can structure their programs to be more efficient and financially sustainable.

Suspended at the height of the pandemic, placement testing is back on the table as an option for determining eligibility for dual enrollment—what should states and colleges do? CCRC researchers John Fink, Sarah Griffin, and Maggie Fay share their recommendations in this blog post.