Banking on Dual Credit: Broadening Opportunities to Earn College Credit in High School and the Transition to College

Abstract

This article studies state-developed courses in career and technical education (CTE) that offer students the opportunity to earn college credit during high school. Using a regression-discontinuity approach, we examine the effects of passing the end-of-course exam necessary to secure college credit on postsecondary enrollment and choice. We find that barely passing a CTE dual-credit exam increases the likelihood of attending a public, in-state, 2-year institution, with at least part of that increased propensity stemming from a reduction in the likelihood of attending a private in-state institution. Furthermore, we find suggestive evidence that the boost in the likelihood of attending a public, in-state, 2-year college is relatively larger for male compared to female students.