Dual Enrollment

$25,710 and an entire semester.

That’s exactly what I saved as an undergraduate student at St. John’s University, a private college with a tuition rate of $1,714 per credit, by taking dual enrollment courses in high school. Without these classes, I likely wouldn’t have been able to attend St. John’s due to the overwhelming cost of tuition and the high cost of living in New York City. Coming from Long Island, affordability was a major concern. Fortunately, I was able to take dual enrollment courses through partnerships with St. John’s University, Long Island University, and Suffolk County Community College, among others.

According to an Education Data Initiative report, nearly two million college students in New York dropped out in 2023 alone, likely due to financial hardship. Economic instability has made many New Yorkers, especially low-income students, more cautious about their spending. The Economic Innovation Group, a national public policy organization, reports that “no state has suffered as dramatic a reversal of economic fortune in recent years as New York.”

Further, a report by State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli on higher education competitiveness found that, as of the 2020-21 academic year, the average tuition for private four-year colleges in New York was $58,423, while public four-year tuition averaged $24,231. Expanding dual enrollment programs through partnerships between universities and high schools would not only give private colleges a competitive edge in an increasingly challenging education market but also provide economically disadvantaged students with a more affordable pathway to higher education.

If one semester of dual enrollment classes made such a difference for me, imagine the impact it could have on thousands of students. Universities and high schools must collaborate to make private higher education more accessible, equitable, and affordable. These programs should be expanded to include a wider range of subject areas, actively promoted by schools and counselors, and made more accessible to students in low-income communities through special discounts and funding initiatives.

Dual enrollment isn’t just an option—it’s a necessity for students striving to achieve their educational goals without being buried in debt.

Moawad, Tasnim, NY