For many scholars who seek a way to knock out college credits whilst still in high school, dual enrollment is a favored choice. OSOTA offers a chance to enroll in courses at Seminole State College, right down the road. Unlike Advanced Placement, dual enrollment classes only last one semester (about twelve to sixteen weeks, depending on the session), and they can be conveniently completed online. On top of that, these high-level courses will give you a GPA boost! Starting dual enrollment can be nerve-wracking, especially with it being online and college-level, so what should you take first? How should you prepare yourself? 

The factor that will affect the outcome of your experience the most is organization. It can be difficult to hold yourself accountable when there aren’t physical teachers reminding you every day, and it’s hard balancing college work with a full high school load as well. Investing in a planner is extremely beneficial, in addition to setting aside designated time to work on your assignments. OSOTA’s study hall elective periods are great for getting dual enrollment work done, and so are enrichment classes. “Dual enrollment is the most pivotal point of my study hall, and I’m so glad I have this opportunity to further my education and to boost my GPA beyond just a 4.0. Having so many study halls helps to lessen the burden of taking such advanced classes,” said Hunter Vann, 11th grade.

When it comes to deciding which dual enrollment course to take first, I recommend capitalizing on your strengths and finding which class coincides with your strong suits. Later on, it will be easier to branch out and take some more rigorous courses, but it’s best to get acclimated and get the hang of it first and foremost. Overall, Speech Communications is known for being a great introduction, and it will teach you skills you’ll use throughout the rest of your educational career. However, if you’re trying to take a dual enrollment class that also eliminates a high school class, English 1101 will give you both credits, and it’s another excellent starting point. Furthermore, the course is a prerequisite and it opens up other humanities classes you can take later. I took English 1101 the summer going into my junior year, and it really improved my writing and analysis skills. It also allowed me to take Introduction to Philosophy last semester, and opened up other various classes for me to take. 

In order to begin Dual Enrollment, Seminole State requires you to pass the PERT (entrance exam). The PERT consists of three sections: reading, writing, and mathematics. You are given three attempts to pass, and study guides are available beforehand. Since the math section does not permit the use of a calculator, Khan Academy is extremely helpful in that arena when you’re studying prior to the test. After passing the PERT, you are able to sign up for your classes before the semester begins. To find the course options, you can access the course catalog on the Seminole State website using this link: https://www.seminolestate.edu/catalog/courses