Four Year Benefits

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In the 21st century, education is vital to one’s success with higher education being more important than ever. In fact, the pay gap between high school and college graduates is continuing to widen. According to The Economic Policy Institute in Washington, in 2013, college graduates made 98% more an hour on average than those without a college degree. Individuals with four-year college degrees made 98 percent more an hour on average in 2013 than people without a degree. The percentage is an increase from five years prior when college graduates made 89% more an hour and 85% more in 2003. It is a significant difference from the estimated 64% more college graduates earned in the early 1980s (Leonhardt). Other studies confirmed a widening gap with…show more content…
Researches state some of the benefits include: “facilitating the transition between high school and college, allowing students to complete a degree faster, reducing costs for a college education, reducing high school dropout rates, preparing students for college work and reducing the need for remedial coursework, enhancing the high school curriculum, making more effective use of the senior year in high school, developing the connection between high school and college curricula, raising the student’s motivation and goal to attend college, acclimatizing students to the college environment, freeing space on college campuses, improving relationships between colleges and their communities, easing recruitment of students to college, and enhancing opportunities for underserved student populations (Allen 10).” Surprisingly, the benefits do not end there. Studies have shown enrollment in a dual program is linked to a 7.7% higher chance of students enrolling in a four-year university (Allen 17). In addition, researchers found that students in the dual enrollment programs in Florida and New York City had a higher probability of gaining a high school diploma, and enrolling full time in a four-year college. Moreover, students were seen to have higher GPAs in their third year of college as well as attained more college credits than students who did not participate in the programs (Allen 19). The benefits are evident, but there are many critics who will suggest high school students are not ready for higher education. However, this has been shown otherwise. In Iowa, a philosophy professor compared test scores of high school students in the duel enrollment program with college students. The college students’ median grade was a 84.82 compared to the high school students’ 84.35. There are other instances where the two have been compared and there were little to no differences (Allen
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