COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KOAA) — Colorado's concurrent enrollment program allows eligible high school students to take college courses and earn credit without paying tuition, and one author wants more families to know about it.
The state says districts cover the tuition for qualifying courses, giving students a head start on college while potentially saving their families money on future tuition bills.
Shelley Branine, author of "Finish College in High School: The Family Guide to a Debt-Free Degree with Dual Enrollment," has seen the program's impact firsthand. Her own daughters earned associate degrees before graduating high school and later completed bachelor's degrees debt-free.
"That is my heart and soul: to help parents. It really is. I, I want more than anything, more than promoting a book or anything else. I just want to help Colorado families cause this is amazing and too many people don't know," Branine explained.
Families interested in the program should check with their child's school or counselor to find out which courses qualify.
Branine, who worked as a teacher for 20 years, said her daughters did not need to be academic standouts to take advantage of the opportunities available through Colorado schools.
“They are not geniuses, they're not valedictorians, they are just regular kiddos, but we saw a really amazing opportunity in the Colorado school system and took advantage of it,” she said.
What parents should ask
Branine said parents should start by talking with their child's school counselor about how concurrent enrollment is offered at their school.
Students can take college classes in several ways, including attending classes at a college, taking courses taught by college professors at their high school or completing classes online, she added.
Colorado also has early college high schools designed specifically to help students earn college credits while completing high school.
“It's a lot easier than people would realize,” Branine stated.
She said her experience as a teacher helped her navigate the process with her own children, but Colorado schools also offer numerous resources to help families.
“We have so many supports in place here in Colorado, so many amazing opportunities that they can take advantage of that it really is a lot easier than you would think,” she said.
Concurrent enrollment vs. AP classes
Branine said parents should also understand the difference between Advanced Placement (AP) classes and concurrent enrollment.
“Concurrent enrollment is the way of the future,” she said in response to the differences.
According to Branine, AP classes do not guarantee that students will receive college credit because students generally must earn a qualifying score on an AP exam. She said concurrent enrollment offers a more direct path to college credit.
“With concurrent enrollment, any student can earn full college credit by getting a C or better,” Branine said.
She also said concurrent enrollment is generally free or inexpensive compared with AP courses, which can include fees for exams.
Branine estimates her family saved tens of thousands of dollars by using concurrent enrollment.
“Our family probably saves $60,000 to $80,000 on college,” she said.
Start asking questions early
With a new school year getting underway, Branine said parents should begin looking into concurrent enrollment as early as freshman year.
She recommends starting with subjects students enjoy or in which they already perform well.
“I recommend that they start with classes that they enjoy, or classes they're really good at, so we can set them up for success early,” Branine said.
She also views concurrent enrollment as a way for families to test whether college is the right path before committing to the full cost of higher education.
“I always say that concurrent enrollment is the perfect try before you buy, because you can see, do my kids even wanna go to college before I start spending all this money,” she included.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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