Dual credit, an option to bridging the gap between secondary and postsecondary education

Educational reform has taken on many faces but current trends focus on college readiness. While educators believe dual credit courses improve college readiness little research has been done to see the true effects. This study examines dual credit course work and the impact it has on graduation rates and number of academic semesters it takes to earn a college degree.;Data collected from universities and colleges across Missouri was compared using independent t-test and ANOVA data analysis tools. The data sample included 20,881 student records collected from a sampling of the colleges and universities in Missouri. The data gathered from the student records was consolidated into a large excel spreadsheet for ease of statistical analysis. The data included the number of dual credits freshmen students had upon entering college, their college graduation rates, and the number of academic semesters it took them to earn a college degree.;Results showed that dual credit coursework taken in high school had a significant impact on graduation rates and the number of academic semesters it took to earn a college degree. It also showed that the number of dual credits earned had a significant impact on both graduation rates and the number of academic semesters it took to earn a degree. Recommendations included revisiting dual credit programs and their requirements, reviewing current legislation and higher education requirements for these programs, and finding ways to encourage dual credit programs for more students. This study added to the body of research on dual credit and its impact on college readiness and gave credibility to dual credit as an option to bridging the gap between secondary and postsecondary education.