Determining Best Practices for Students in Dual Credit Programs A Conversation and Partnership between College Admissions & High School Counselors Presented By: Samantha Axvig, Kristen Halley, Katherine Halvorson Concordia College, Office of Admissions

Purpose of the Session Explore how we can partner to help students and families understand the opportunities and challenges with dual-credit programs and how they fit with individual student goals. Discuss how dual-credit programs impact the college application process. Create a list of important points, ideas for partnership, and ways to enhance student experiences through dual-credit programs. Disseminate ideas and suggestions from this session to colleagues to enhance collaboration in the best interest of students.

Concordia College: Who Are We? Private, 4-Year, Liberal Arts College Faith-based Institution Affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America Approximately 2,700 undergraduate students Located on the border of North Dakota and Minnesota Each state provides different opportunities for dual- credit programs

MN Post-Secondary Options program (PSEO) – High school students participate in PSEOP at Concordia Full-time, residential program ( : app. 15 Students) Part-time, non-residential program ( : app. 30 Students) – First-year students transfer PSEOP credits to Concordia from other institutions upon enrollment Advanced Placement (AP) College in the Schools (CIS) International Baccalaureate (IB) In 2011, over HALF the incoming class received transfer credits from dual credit programs. Concordias Dual Credit Programs

Why We Are Here We are not experts in dual credit programs. We recognize the need for dialogue and partnership among High School Guidance Counselors and College Admissions Staff to provide a seamless message to families. Each school has unique approaches when working with students involved in dual-credit programs. GOAL OF SESSION: Share with one another our own best practices when working with students.

Discussion From your experience and perspective, what are the challenges and opportunities for students pursuing dual-credit programs? How do dual-credit courses impact a students college application process and their overall college goals?

Discussion After discussing the opportunities, challenges, and impact on college planning, what are important points to include in a seamless message from college and high school staff? In our roles as counselors and admissions staff, how can we collaborate to remedy misperceptions and help families understand these challenges and opportunities? What challenges exist that could make collaboration difficult? How can we address this?

Discussion Males, low-income students, and low-achieving high school students all appear to benefit from their participation in dual enrollment to a greater extent than their dual enrollment peers who enter college courses with more social, economic, and educational advantages. This indicates that dual enrollment may well be a strategy for encouraging postsecondary success among students not typically seen as college-bound. – Karp et.al., 2007, p. 63, as seen in Progress and Possibilities: Trends in Public High School Student Participation with Minnesotas Dual Credit Programs from the Center for School Change What are your thoughts on the results of this research? How could these findings impact the way we work with underrepresented students?

What is being done at your school that is effective when working with families who are pursuing or completing dual credit? Additional Discussion

How has the discussion today impacted your thoughts on best practices in working with dual-credit students? What will you take away from this session? Concluding Thoughts

Determining Best Practices for Students in Dual Credit Programs Thank you for Participating! Conversation and Partnership between College Admissions & High School Counselors Presented By: Samantha Axvig – Kristen Halley – Katherine Halvorson –