Navigating the Path to College: The Impacts of Dual Enrollment on Postsecondary Access

Youngran Kim (), Sambojyoti Biswas (), Benjamin Creed () and Leapetswe Malete ()
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Youngran Kim: Florida State University
Sambojyoti Biswas: Michigan State University
Benjamin Creed: Northern Illinois University
Leapetswe Malete: Michigan State University

Research in Higher Education, 2025, vol. 66, issue 7, No 6, 22 pages

Abstract: Abstract This study investigates the impact of dual enrollment on college enrollment rates among high school students in Kentucky. Although dual enrollment programs have been widely promoted as a strategy to improve postsecondary access and outcomes, evidence regarding the causal effect of dual enrollment on postsecondary access is limited. By leveraging the abrupt changes in dual enrollment resulting from Kentucky’s dual credit policy, this paper aims to estimate the impacts of dual enrollment on postsecondary enrollment rates. Our difference-in-differences estimates indicate positive impacts of dual participation on overall postsecondary enrollment rates. Additionally, our findings indicate that dual enrollment is associated with higher rates of community college enrollment and a reduced share of students who do not pursue postsecondary education. Implications of these findings on policy and practice as well as future directions are discussed.

Keywords: Dual enrollment; Postsecondary access; College enrollment; Education policy; Difference-in-differences; Kentucky (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1007/s11162-025-09865-3

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