Across the country, 38 states have created dual enrollment programs. These programs allow high school students to attend real college courses while earning credit toward high school graduation. According to a story in the Chronicle of Higher Education (6/16/98), "Some professors question programs that allow high school students to earn college credits." These concerns come at a time when it is not rare to see a student graduate from high school at the same time they receive a 2-year associate of arts degree.

Rodric Hurdle of Vancouver, Washington is one of the 20 students who graduated from Clark College with an associate of arts degree at the same time he graduated from high school. As a result of this participation in Washington's dual enrollment program, Running Start, Rodric will enter the University of Missouri in the middle of his sophomore year. While attending Clark College, Rodric's tuition was covered by his school district, saving him about $22,000 if he completes his bachelor's degree in 2.5 years.

From a student and parent perspective, dual enrollment programs like Running Start are a wonderful way for students to save several years of study and thousands of dollars. Professors at some four-year colleges have expressed concerns that dual enrollment programs may allow a younger student to enter upper-level classes for which they are not prepared. Some selective colleges worry that community college coursework may not be up to their academic standards. Community college representatives find this argument to be an extension of a much older argument regarding the quality of community college courses. They provide statistics that show that transfer students do as well or better than students who spend all four years in a bachelor's degree program. The difference with dual enrollemt programs seems to be concerns with the age and academic level of transfer students.

Most dual enrollment programs are still to young for long-term results to be studied. Some school districts are concerned that the increase in dual enrollment students, which they pay for, is taking away resourses to offer more advanced courses at the high school. At the same time students say that the districts are not offering challenging courses and they must go to the colleges to get what they need. There is much to show that dual enrollment programs are of great benefit to participants. It is less clear what the impact will be on school districts and the colleges to which dual enrollment students choose to transfer.