Now that school is in full swing, it’s hard not to take note of all the talk of AP Classes going on, it’s very likely that you or someone you know is taking or has taken an AP course. What you may not know however, is that AP courses are not the only way to get college credit. Dual enrollment classes are another way of getting college credit with a more hands-on college experience. Dual enrollment allows high school students to take a college course on their campus. A few of our own South El Monte students are already taking advantage of what dual enrollment has to offer.

Galilea Ocampo, a senior here at South is currently taking Anthropology 125 at Rio Hondo Community College, and is enjoying this insight into college life. “It’s refreshing to be in an environment where even though people tend to keep to themselves, they’re very articulate to the discussions in class,” Galilea stated. She has taken over 7 AP classes during her 4 years of high school and has found that she finds dual enrollment to be less stressful, “You get to take a college course without the stress of an AP exam at the end of the year and that really takes the weight off a bit.”
Janae Morales another senior here is also taking Anthropology 125 at Rio Hondo, and has taken Psychology in the dual enrollment program. “It’s a cool experience because no one really knows that you’re still in high school, you get to feel like you’re a college student, we only meet twice a week, and it’s not as demanding as an AP class.” Janae has taken over 5 AP classes over the past 4 years, and has also come to prefer dual enrollment as a means to get college credit, however, she says you could even take both as long as you know how to balance your responsibilities and time.
It’s important as a high school student to be aware of your options and to know that there’s more than one way to get college credit. You might come to prefer one more than the other and that’s okay, as long as you use the resources the school has to offer to your advantage and succeed. If you are a student who is interested in enrolling in the dual enrollment program here at South, you should go to the Career Center and fill out an application.