I am a sophomore attending both CPA and a community college online. This means by the end of high school, I potentially will have shaved off two years of college, which is very beneficial for someone who has much schooling ahead of them, for something such as a doctoral degree.

Many curious questioners ask, "Is dual enrollment doing college classes on top of the normal high school workload?" The answer is no. There are limits to how the classes are arranged. You wouldn't take both Spanish 1 and college Spanish, you would simply take Elementary College Spanish. Although it does not include the pressure of additional courses, keep in mind that college classes are extensive. Depending on your professor and class, you may complete several essays per week, or you may simply have a few studies and quizzes to complete. Either way, it is invaluable to stay on top of your workload in high school, since your ability to continue dual enrollment depends on at least a C average in all high school classes. 

Additionally, dual enrollment isn't for everyone! If you don't plan on doing any schooling after high school for your career, the extra work and stress may not be all that worth it to you. I've heard stories of other dual enrollers having the best experiences and being so grateful for their efforts through high school. On the other hand, others have said they would never do it again despite the after-benefits, because of the stress, politically focused professors, the difficult workload, etc. 

From my personal experience, participating in both schools is difficult, but worth it. As I've mentioned previously, it will subtract from years of schooling total, which for an aspiring veterinarian like myself, is a no-brainer. I would warn against thinking dual enrolling is easy. That was my #1 mistake when getting started. I thought it would be just like high school, except a different online platform. So, you can imagine to my surprise when I had a highly extensive orientation module and syllabus quiz on my first day, followed by much work for the first few weeks. I was so overwhelmed. After those few weeks of panic, confusion, and prayer, things began to come together to a tolerable level. I learned how to manage my time better, so much so, that I was able to set the time aside to write this, go to youth group, film, and play with my dog after a school day.

The truth is, online dual enrollment is not by any means going to start off easy, but if you're willing to take the time to learn, study hard, and trust God through it, your work will undoubtedly pay off in the end.