dual enrollment

Definition

Programs allowing high school students to take college courses for both high school and college credit simultaneously, giving motivated teens a head start and colleges a pipeline of pre-invested customers. Everyone wins except the students discovering college isn't what their guidance counselor promised.

Example Usage

Through dual enrollment, I finished my freshman year of college before graduating high school, which seemed smart until I realized I'd peaked academically at 17.

Origin

Emerged in the 1970s; expanded significantly in the 2000s as a cost-saving strategy for families

Fun Fact

Students who participate in dual enrollment are 11% more likely to complete a bachelor's degree, though critics note this may reflect selection bias rather than program effectiveness.

Source: National Alliance of Concurrent Enrollment Partnerships standards

Related Terms

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waqf

An Islamic charitable endowment where property or land is permanently donated for religious or social welfare purposes, managed by a trustee who ensures it benefits the community in perpetuity. Think of it as the original community foundation, established centuries before modern nonprofits existed. The property itself can't be sold or inherited—it's locked in charitable purpose forever, which is either admirably principled or a medieval estate planning nightmare, depending on your perspective.

🎓 Education / Academia

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instructional technology

The umbrella term for all the digital tools and platforms that professors struggle to use during class while students politely pretend not to notice. Encompasses everything from learning management systems to interactive whiteboards that never seem to calibrate correctly.

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ephphetha

To be open-minded and non-judgmental, extending your comfort zone to gain broader perspective. Derived from an Aramaic word meaning 'be opened,' it's essentially the fancy scholarly way to tell someone to chill and stop being so closed off. More syllables than 'open-minded' but sounds way more enlightened.

🎓 Education / Academia

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enrolled

The act of officially adding your name to a list, thereby committing yourself to something you may or may not regret later. In education, it's how you sign up for classes that will drain your bank account and sanity simultaneously. The point of no return where you transition from 'thinking about it' to 'legally obligated to show up.'

🎓 Education / Academia

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legacy admission

The practice of giving preferential treatment to applicants whose relatives attended the institution, because nothing says 'meritocracy' like hereditary advantage. Affirmative action for the already privileged.

🎓 Education / Academia

Intermediate

feeder school

An institution that regularly sends graduates to a particular university or program, creating a pipeline that's either a mutually beneficial relationship or an old boys' network, depending on your perspective.

🎓 Education / Academia

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