The exchange of ideas is one of the best things about university life. In that spirit, I would like to build on the perspective my colleague Dr. Leah Murray shared in her Standard-Examiner op-ed of April 5. In that piece, Dr. Murray wrote that Weber State concurrent enrollment offers a way for parents to “guarantee that their child gets a college degree” and that it is “affordable.” She noted how it “lets people try out college” and can “make college less scary.” Bravo!

Dr. Murray also suggested we could have done better in the past. We know that universities need to change, adopt, adapt. This is my 22nd year at WSU and we are making an unprecedented all-hands-on-deck effort to align WSU’s core themes of “Learning, Access and Community” with the evolving needs of potential students, existing students, families and the community at large.

Is there room for improvement in our concurrent enrollment program? Always.

WSU spends hundreds of thousands of dollars annually to provide the most impactful programs possible. We have a dedicated concurrent enrollment team providing advisement, budget and outreach to the schools. We continue to eliminate red tape so parents and students can more easily access our offerings, and to help teachers plan the best possible courses under the guidance from WSU departments.

To give you a sense of the scope of our work, in 2022-23 we served a total of 14,335 students in 54 high schools. That’s more than the number of students at many universities around the country! We partnered with and mentored 526 high school teachers who offered 1,621 sections of 92 different courses. These courses are wildly popular, as we have been growing at over 6% annually over the last decade.

We are also working on making concurrent enrollment available to all students, regardless of their backgrounds. For example, the English department is making available to all interested high schools an English 1005 course that uses an alternative placement model. Students who have not taken the ACT or who have placed below the cutoff for English 1010 can begin their college writing journey. A new Math 1035 course will be rolled out to select schools to help students without ACT scores take college-level math in fall 2023. Like all concurrent courses, these are the same courses as those available for all students at Weber State.

WSU wants to help students know they can afford college. High school students earning 12 concurrent enrollment credit hours qualify for the $8,000 CE Edge Scholarship that can be used to pay for college tuition. We are developing new pathways for students in English, math and science, and eligible students who complete these receive a $4,000 Utah Opportunity Scholarship that can be used to pay for college.

Concurrent programs reduce the cost of college coursework ($15 per three credits!). WSU’s College of Engineering, Applied Science and Technology piloted a program this year with Roy and Clearfield high schools that pays fees and tuition for students taking automotive technology courses. Enrollment has doubled, and grateful parents have thanked WSU staff for providing this opportunity for their children. Our entrepreneurship program saw 400 high school students competing for $14,000 in cash prizes in 2023. Both programs help expose students to career possibilities they may not have considered.

Concurrent enrollment, or dual enrollment, as it is otherwise known, can serve many functions that help families get their children on the road to a successful college career, especially first-generation college students. Students succeeding in their concurrent enrollment courses gain confidence that they can do college-level work, and they are more likely to persist in their pursuit of a degree. For those with time to learn more, check out the Aspen Institute report entitled “The Dual Enrollment Playbook: A Guide to Equitable Acceleration for Students.”

For many high school students, concurrent enrollment may be their only chance at college. Whether we help them gain confidence by taking two classes, or help them earn 12 credits and a scholarship, we should recognize these as opportunities for individuals, families and our communities.

If you are a family member, guardian or friend of a high school student, please encourage them to explore their concurrent enrollment options. Reach out to us with questions at 801-385-8450 or concurrent@weber.edu. We are here to serve you and look forward to welcoming you to the Weber State community!

Hal Crimmel is Brady Professor and chair of the Department of English. He also serves as academic director of concurrent enrollment at Weber State University.

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