As each new school year rolls around, students make their schedules and pick their future classes. And as each school year rolls around, more and more seniors are straying away from traditional classes in the Cypress Lake High School campus and towards dual enrollment at Florida Southwestern College (FSW).
Even though AP and AICE classes offer college-level rigor and oftentimes college credits, the number of students that are choosing to take these classes is decreasing on a year-to-year basis. Teachers of these subjects were quick to notice the change, as the drastic change in their classrooms became glaringly obvious. AP Government and Politics alone saw a 44% decrease in enrollment in just one cycle. So why is that students that would typically challenge themselves with AP coursework are now choosing college classes instead?
One of the major reasons could be Cypress’ integration of the AICE program which has simultaneously phased out the possibilities for an AP diploma. Spanish, Research, Biology, and United States History are among the many AP classes that have now been replaced with AICE equivalents, with only six or seven AP classes (depending on if you count Government and Econ as one or two) remaining as in-person options at Cypress. Yet, that doesn’t then explain why students are taking dual enrollment classes instead of AICE. What would provide an explanation is the duration of the AICE program; while AP Capstone students tended to stretch their classes over all four years of high school, the AICE Diploma must be completed within a three-year window.
“Many students who have completed and earned the AICE Diploma in grade 11 pursue dual enrollment senior year,” said the Cypress Lake guidance team in a joint statement. “Once they pursue dual enrollment many decide to take all academic courses at the college.”
The successful completion of the AICE diploma can replace required SAT/ACT test scores in the Florida Bright Futures program, so it follows that students who earn it take college classes to get certain college credits out of the way since AP credits are not always a guarantee.
However, not all dual enrollment students were once pursuing an AICE diploma. Instead they chose dual enrollment for other reasons.
“I chose to do full time dual enrollment because of the class options,” said senior Madison Bazile. “I’m taking classes that I otherwise wouldn’t be able to while also saving time and money for my future and getting a head start in college.” Additionally, dual enrollment doesn’t mean involvement with Cypress. In actuality, Madison is on the flag football team and is an officer in various clubs, including the school’s chapter of the National Honor Society. She is even the senior class vice president.
Similarly, senior class president Quinn McDonald comes to the Cypress Lake campus for one class (Media and TV Production), sports, and clubs- which, of course, include SGA. “I like being able to pick my own schedule,” he explained. “I like having more free time in my day outside of classes to do other things.”
Although the benefits are clear, it’s also important to note that dual enrollment isn’t always the best option for each student. When students first inquire into the program, their counselors take steps to ensure that they are well-aware of the possible consequences.
“We want students to have a full picture of what dual enrollment entails so they can make an informed decision,” says Ms. Skinner, one of the counselors at Cypress. “One of the key points we make is that the grades earned in dual enrollment courses become part of a student’s permanent college transcript and will impact both their high school and future college GPA.”
It is obvious that dual enrollment is not for everyone, so it is good that students can continue to take AP and AICE classes outside of the pursuit of these diplomas or partake in many of the electives that it offers, especially in its center for the arts. For now, it’ll become a matter of time to see what academic pursuits students will choose to take.
