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CSM Invites Parents & High School-aged Students to Hear About the Many Benefits of Dual Enrollment During Nov. 2, 3, 4 Virtual Information Sessions
CSM Invites Parents & High School-aged Students to Hear About the Many Benefits of Dual Enrollment During Nov. 2, 3, 4 Virtual Information Sessions
The College of Southern Maryland (CSM) invites parents of high school students to attend upcoming Dual Enrollment Program and Career and Technology Education (CTE) virtual informational sessions and learn how their teen can get an affordable and manageable jump start on their career goals. Virtual informational sessions will be held Nov. 2, 3, and 4.
The benefits of dual enrollment include savings on tuition, since dual-enrolled students pay half of CSM’s regular tuition rate for their courses. College credits earned at CSM can be transferred to most colleges and universities around the country – and CSM has more than 220 transfer agreements with 67 institutions across the world.
Not only that, a recent article in University Business explained that students who dual enroll in college while still in high school also leads to higher college success rates down the road. According to the article, “dual enrollment participants were 2.2 times more likely to enroll in [two- or four-year college]; were two times more likely to return for a second year of college; and 1.7 times more likely to complete a college degree when compared to their statistically-matched peers who did not participate in a dual enrollment program. Other studies show similar results when it comes to enrollment, retention and degree attainment.”
Here’s What Our Current Dual Enrollers are Saying ~
For Great Mills High School senior Riley Edgar, 17, dual enrollment makes it easy for her to juggle high school, extracurricular activities and getting a head start on college. She said she plans to study aerospace engineering and physics at a university after completing her associate degree in Engineering at CSM.
“I find the whole ‘away from campus’ set up due to the pandemic makes it easier to split my time with high school,” says Edgar, who also plays varsity soccer and participates in science fairs while maintaining a better than 4.0 GPA. “The price beats any four-year college, and it will end up saving me time in the long run.”
Malachi Abdullah, 17, agreed – sharing that he finds that dual enrollment offers a combination of flexibility and support that makes it possible for him to reach his goals. He expects to complete a two-year degree in Sports Management in Spring of 2022 and plans to pursue a bachelor’s or master’s with the goal of working with a professional or semi-professional basketball team. 
“I can maintain my two jobs, help drive my siblings where they need to be, and still easily maintain my course load,” said the homeschool senior and Charles County resident. “If you have the time and dedication, it will help you finish your degree faster and set you up for a multitude of opportunities. There are also plenty of services offered for us and people to talk to if we’re struggling.”
Aryanna Ferguson, 17, a senior at Huntingtown High School, is combining CSM’s Cybersecurity Certification program with opportunities offered by her high school to get a head start on her career goals.
"I am pursuing internship opportunities with the Department of Defense and the Calvert County Government,” Ferguson said. “I hope to have a career in information technology as a Software, Network or Cybersecurity Engineer. I would also at some point like to attend law school to become an attorney and combine that with my IT skillset," she said.
Ferguson said she finds that in addition to the coursework, the organizational skills required to complete the degree are helping to prepare her for her next steps.
“The college courses were much more rigorous and required pinpoint organizational and planning skills,” she offered. “Being organized was key to managing the time expectation.”
For more information about dual enrollment and CTE programs at CSM for high school students, RSVP to receive Zoom login information and plan to attend the Dual Enrollment Parent Information Session for your home county.