College course for high school students an educational plus

Q: My son is a techie, high school sophomore with below-average grades. He wants to take a computer course from a local college offered through his high school. His counselor sees no problem, but I thought college courses in high school were only for brainiacs. How do we know he can handle it?

A: You won't know until he gives it a shot. The research on dual enrollment -- the opportunity for high school students to enroll in college courses -- is in his favor.

A new study, "Dual Enrollment: A Strategy for Educational Advancement of All Students," by Elisabeth Barnett from the Teachers College Columbia University, and Liesa Stamm from Rutgers-Camden Center for Children and Childhood Studies, finds that dual-enrollment programs, when implemented properly, can be effective in helping all students -- not just high-achievers -- get interested in attending college.

Taking college courses while in high school adds to the rigor of high school and shows students what college work is like. In the case of your son, these courses often appeal to students' interests and shine a light on career options. If students earn credit, it can speed college degree completion and save on course credit costs.

Programs that are "properly implemented" mean that student support systems are in place to ensure that high school students succeed in college-level courses, according to Barnett and Stamm. These supports are especially important for low- and middle-achieving students. Barnett and Stamm say look for the following:

-- Academic support: This includes access to tutoring and other learning supports offered by the high school or college to ensure that your son is prepared for the work and the pace.

-- Course re-configurations: Modified schedules. For example, since college courses typically meet three times a week, a high school teacher may provide supplemental instruction on the other two days of the week. Or a class may be given over two semesters rather than the normal one semester.

-- Career exploration: Some career and technical programs often provide workplace access to professionals in the field studied, job shadowing, and work-based learning experiences that help students transfer what they're learning to real-life situations.

-- Mentors: Whether teachers, other school staff, community members or business professionals, mentors are one of the most effective ways to build student confidence and provide academic and social support. Peer mentors (often college students) also are effective.

If you don't find these supports, talk with the counselor to see whether some type of tutoring safety net can be set up for your son in case he runs into a rough patch. If the school can't accommodate you, consider finding a private tutor as a back up if you can afford it.

You're not pushing your son into this; he's motivated to take the course. The experience of succeeding in a college course while in high school could inspire him to work harder in high school. Barnett and Stamm found that dual-enrollment programs introduce students to the requirements for enrolling in college. Encourage him to use the resources of the college to research enrollment procedures and financial aid applications, and take advantage of "student success" courses and other support resources available on the campus. He might like this taste of college enough to take another bite.