The Impact of Dual Enrollment on Time-to-Degree Completion

• In Event: Experiences of Students With Dual Enrollment, Dual Credit, or Dual Degrees

Abstract

I assess the impact of dual enrollment, a program that allows high school students to take college courses and earn college credits, on time-to-degree completion. Some policy makers and social analysts consider dual enrollment as a way to reduce time-to-degree, which is particularly beneficial for low-SES students. Despite increased support for dual enrollment, we know little about the impact of these programs on time-to-degree or whether dual enrollment benefits low-SES students.

Using propensity score matching models with sensitivity analysis, I find that dual enrollment reduces time-to-BA degree. Moreover, this effect is resilient to unreasonably large unobserved confounders. However, I find that only high-SES students reduced their time-to-degree through dual enrollment.

Author

• Brian An, University of Iowa