A record number of high school students will complete college-level courses this academic year, but whether those higher-education credits will transfer remains to be seen.
The latest federal figures tally dual-enrollment participation at 3.1 million high school students in 2024–2025, up 24 percent from two years prior, the Community College Research Center (CCRC) reports.
Every state has at least some high schools that offer college courses, usually through partnerships with local community colleges, which are expected to count toward a higher education degree. Nearly 1 in 4 U.S. community college students are still in high school, according to CCRC. In theory, a student taking such courses could earn an associate’s degree in less than two years and a bachelor’s in under four, resulting in significant cost savings….