Auburndale High School offers two tracks for acceleration:  Advanced Placement and Dual Enrollment.

Advanced Placement courses are nationally accredited by the College Board, and earning a passing score on the end-of-year AP exam is accepted at many universities in lieu of college credit. 

Dual enrollment courses, offered through both nearby Polk State College and Southeastern University, allow students the opportunity to take college courses while still in high school.

If appropriate, students can take just a few (or several!) AP or DE classes.  In fact, students can work to attain their Associate’s Degree through Polk State College and graduate with both their AA and high school diploma in four years’ time.

If you are attempting to graduate high school with an AA as well, here is a suggested dual enrollment course progression:

Freshman year:  no dual enrollment

Sophomore year:  4 courses (2 each semester)

Summer after sophomore year: 2 courses (1 each summer session)

Junior year: 6 courses (3 each semester)

Summer after junior year: 2 courses (1 each summer session)

Senior year: 6 courses (3 each semester)

Students can choose to be part-time dual enrollment (3-11 college credits per high school semester), early admission (12-15 college credits per high school semester), or on an accelerated degree program (15-18 college credits per high school semester).  Attaining an AA is a challenge, as students need to take 20 college courses alongside fulfilling their high school credit requirements and will likely require taking summer courses.  Students can sign up for summer courses in either (or both) sessions at Polk State College after their sophomore and junior years to either stay on pace or get ahead. 

 

Which is right for me - AP or Dual Enrollment?

High-performing students learn quickly that they can earn college credits while in high school, either by taking Advanced Placement classes or by participating in a Dual Enrollment program with their local state college. Both programs net considerable savings on tuition, look excellent on a college transcript, and give students a head start on college. In this win-win situation, which should you choose?

You probably can’t go wrong with either, but there are measurable differences between the two, and learning more may give one program the edge depending on your goals after high school. Let’s start with some basic facts about each.

 

No matter which program you choose, your student can earn college credits before they even set foot on campus, skip introductory courses in college, and possibly graduate early — which saves money and allows them to pursue the passions even sooner.   Every student is different and has different goals.  AP courses tend to be more rigorous, but have an end-of-course exam which could preclude a college from giving you credit.  College courses only last one semester and your credit is determined solely by your grades in the course.

If a student wants to remain in the running for valedictorian or salutatorian, they must take at least 4 courses on-campus; dual enrollment courses do not count as high school courses.

Both AP and DE are great options for acceleration and we are here to support our Bloodhounds!

https://www.myfloridaprepaid.com/collegedefinitely/which-is-better-ap-or-dual-enrollment/

https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/about-ap/ap-a-glance/discover-benefits#:~:text=Students%20will%3A,skills%20to%20address%20course%20challenges.

https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/about-ap/start-expand-ap-program/expand-access/impacts

https://blog.collegeboard.org/3-reasons-take-ap-exams