What Happens to Dual Enrollment Credits After High School?

Dual enrollment is often described to high school students and their families as a way to get an early college experience at a significantly reduced cost. These students will earn college credit—sometimes even an associate degree or other college credential—before graduating high school, potentially reducing the time and cost of earning a bachelor’s degree.

At least that’s the promise. But what happens when the path after high school isn’t so clear?

For us, both former DE students (or, as we call ourselves, “ stealth transfers ”), transferring to a bachelor’s program after high school wasn’t straightforward. And our stories aren’t uncommon. Too often, DE students leave high school without guidance on transfer pathways, and even fewer understand the complexities of credit transfer or