Local high school students earn college credits through Dixie State University’s Concurrent Enrollment opportunity
Concurrent Enrollment through Dixie State University allows high schoolers to get a jump start on their college education by taking dual courses, and more than 2,500 local students are taking advantage of this opportunity each year.
Under the leadership of DSU’s Director of Current Enrollment Kevin Simmons, enrollment has increased by 200% since 2015, providing thousands of Southern Utah students with a unique college experience while still in high school. Twenty local high schools participate in DSU’s Concurrent Enrollment including Desert Hills, Dixie, Pine View, Crimson Cliffs, Hurricane, Snow Canyon, Kanab and others.
“Taking Concurrent Enrollment courses has multiple advantages,” Simmons said. “Students can fulfill college and high school graduation requirements simultaneously and at an affordable price.” Students can take college courses for $5 per credit through Concurrent Enrollment. This reduced tuition is made possible by funding from the Utah State Legislature.
Concurrent Enrollment registration is currently open, allowing eligible students to sign up for college classes as early as their freshman year of high school. Classes can be taken on the high school campus, the Dixie State University campus or online if the class is offered. To participate, students must have a 3.0 GPA and meet any required pre-requisites for each specific course.
“I saw it as a great opportunity to start getting college credits while still in high school,” said Cameron Holdaway, a senior at Dixie High School who took Concurrent Enrollment courses last semester and is enrolled in more this fall semester. “It is not more of a workload, just more learning.”
Students have the option to get various certificates through Concurrent Enrollment courses, the most beneficial being the General Education Certificate. Students can earn this certificate by completing all of their general education requirements, which is the equivalent of one year in college. With this certificate, students can transfer the credits they earn to any of the institutions in the Utah System of Higher Education.
Brittany Liman-Zepeda, a recent graduate from Pineview High School, is one of the students who completed the General Education Certificate and is going to continue her education at Dixie State University.
“Taking classes through Concurrent Enrollment was a lot cheaper and I am already about halfway to my bachelor’s degree,” said Liman-Zepeda. “I won’t owe as much money as a peer who didn’t take any Concurrent Enrollment courses, and my parents really appreciate that I took this path.”
For more information on Concurrent Enrollment and the General Education Certificate, or to register for classes, visit concurrent.utahtech.edu.