I’m not a big fan of dual enrollment at community college, but I know that it makes sense in some situations. If it’s a good fit for your family, I want to make sure to pass along one tip.
Community college classes provide outside documentation, and provide some “proof” that a child can be successful in a college level class in each subject. For that reason, it’s helpful to have a community college class in each general subject area: English, math, science, foreign language, social studies, and fine arts. So if you are using community college just for one subject (music for example) that’s great! But if you are looking at community college to increase chances of college admission, then branching out to many subjects may be helpful. Taking at least one subject in each kind of area may be the most helpful if you have decided that dual enrollment at community college is the way to go.
When taking those classes, be sure students know they much get the best possible grades in those classes. Don’t let kids get in over their head. It truly is part of the permanent record that colleges will see.
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Actually, depending on the state where you live, community colleges can be very specific about which courses you can or can’t take. For instance, in the state of NC where I live, dual-enrolled students have to specify a specific “track” that they feel like they may head toward in college, and they may only sign up for courses that would benefit them toward that end.