5 Benefits of Earning College Credit in High School

August 20, 2025 byChristopher E. Nelson

4 min to read

A high school students is sitting outside on laptop

If your high school student is an academic high achiever and looking forward to college, they might want to explore the benefits of taking college classes in high school so they can graduate early, save money while earning a college degree, and so much more!

Ways to Earn College Credit While Still in High School

Earning college credit while in high school can come in many forms, making it easy to work into your student’s schedule.

Dual Enrollment

Dual-enrollment classes let high school students take classes through local colleges and potentially earn college credit ahead of graduation. Dual enrollment is not for every high schooler, but if your student is already excelling in a particular subject area, looking to stretch themselves, or simply want to graduate sooner, they might enjoy the academic challenge.

If your high schooler is interested in taking college classes,, contact your school’s guidance counselor to learn more about eligibility and their enrollment procedures.

While exploring your dual enrollment options, consider:

Will the credits be accepted at other colleges, especially the college your student intends to attend?

Will the class count toward a required high school class?

Will their high school transcript include college credits?

Are there any requirements or restrictions to be aware of?

AP Classes

If your student is taking AP®* classes, which many Connections Academy® schools offer, make sure the classes don’t overlap with any college class they may be enrolled in. Most colleges will not award credit for an AP exam and a college class in the same subject.

Pre-College Programs

Many colleges have summer pre-college programs for high school students to attend online or in-person that lead to a certificate of completion with the option to attain a credit or noncredit transcript.

Advantages of Taking College Classes in High School

Does taking college classes in high school help students academically? Absolutely—but the benefits of earning college credit early go well beyond academic rigor.

Develop time-management skills.

Taking on some college classes while in high school can not only teach students how to effectively manage their time, but also how to handle college-level workloads without being overwhelmed.

Explore new interests.

In a college course, where they could have more hands-on experience or in-depth knowledge, a student might discover a potential major or career path they had never considered before.

Fewer classes to graduate college.

With some freshman and sophomore year requirements out of the way, the student who is ahead in college credits will have more time to explore extracurricular activities to broaden their college experience or graduate early.

Help save money.

It may cost money to take college classes while in high school, but they’re often much less expensive than college tuition. Even if a student earns only a few college credits before receiving their high school diploma, completing college courses while still in high school could save them thousands of dollars. 

Improve class rank.

Many schools offer additional grade points for college-level courses, which can be helpful when it comes to improving your class rank. Policies do vary by school, so be sure to review your school handbook or contact your school counselor to get more information about how class ranking policies work at your school.

What Kind of Student Benefits from Dual Enrollment?

According to Karen Muston, a certified school counselor at Connections Academy, students who are most successful in dual-credit programs are those who are not just academically successful, but also “independent learners who know how to self-advocate, self-motivate, manage time, prioritize, and communicate well.”

Traits of Students Who Succeed in Dual Enrollment

Students who are most likely to find the most success from dual enrollment or taking college credits in high school are likely to:

Feel comfortable around older teens and adults.

Aside from being academically driven, your child may show signs of maturity that signal they are ready to handle college-level courses and a college environment and engage with other teens, young adults, teachers, and faculty.

While they might not need to interact or advocate for themselves one-on-one just yet, getting immersed in an environment where they take more control over their schoolwork and their future can benefit students who are ready to step into the next phase of their young adult life.

Be naturally curious.

Your student may be beyond their peers academically and want to study or understand topics at higher levels. One of the benefits of taking college classes in high school is that they can move on to more complex subjects when they’re ready instead of having to wait to graduate or sit through courses that aren’t academically challenging for them.

Have established goals.

Even if they haven’t chosen a college major yet, students who are able to explain why they want to take a college course and what they’re looking to get from taking higher level courses are probably ready to take this next step.

Earn College Credit Online

If your child has expressed an interest in early college classes, explore the dual enrollment or AP classes available for enrolled students at Connections Academy. Download our free eGuide to learn more.

*AP® and Advanced Placement® are registered trademarks of the College Board. Used with permission.