College Now participants, who were more likely to Black or Asian, had higher rates of CUNY admission. The grade point averages of College Now participants was 20 percent higher than non participants. College Now students who took two or more college courses were 3.5 percent more likely to enroll fulltime in a college than non-participants.

Unlike high school college-prep programs such as International Baccalaureate and Advanced Placement that simulate the college experience with rigorous curriculum, dual enrollment students take actual college courses with a college syllabus on a college campus.

Dual enrollment is also presumed to reduce high school dropout rates and increase student aspiration. Students participating in dual enrollment programs had statistically significantly higher college GPAs one year after high school graduation. Dual Enrollment students’ postsecondary grade point averages one year after high school graduation were, in some cases, were .2 points higher than their non-dual enrollment counterparts.

There is no empirical data that speaks to why dual programs increase postsecondary access and success, but experts argue that college-level exposure peeks interest among high school students and allows for a better understanding of what college is and what is expected of them.

During the 2002-03 academic school year, 813,000 high school students took at least one college-credit course, according to the U.S. Department of Education, and experts believe that this behavior will persist.

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