Accelerated Academic Trajectories: Too Much, Too Soon?

In the last decade or two, innovations have been introduced into the American educational landscape which allow high school students to earn college credit hours before matriculating at a university: dual enrollment has been made easier because colleges and universities have launched their own charter schools.

Even before these developments, there were other dual enrollment options, and credits given from Advanced Placement (AP) exams. The AP program dates back to the 1950s.

But the number, variety, and availability of these opportunities has increased significantly in recent years. Another option is credit hours earned by taking International Baccalaureate (IB) exams.

The result can be understood by a concrete example. A student who attended a charter school operated by a local community college was able to graduate, at age 18, with enough college credits so that she started at a local university the three months later as junior. After only two years at that university, she graduated with what is normally a ‘four-year’ degree.

The acceleration continued when she found a ‘twelve-month’ graduate program: a Master’s Degree which normally requires two full academic years can be earn in one calendar year.

At age 21, then, she entered the workforce with her newly-minted Master’s Degree. Under the traditional system, such a degree isn’t earned until age 24.

Parents in such cases are both proud of their child’s academic savvy and happy with the tuition dollars saved. But is there a downside to these types of programs?

Although the student avoided three years of time and tuition dollars, there is a question about life learning. Education can be accelerated; experience can’t.

Assuming that the education is the same, what’s the difference between a 21-year-old and 24-year-old? Ceterus paribus, three year’s worth of reality.

In professions related to healthcare, or in negotiating contracts, the three extra years of living might be an asset important to potential employers.

To be sure, there remains the question of student debt and three years’ worth of tuition. But there may be creative solutions.

A few semesters at a local community college can be had for a fraction of the cost of time spent at major universities. For the student who’s at risk for graduating too early, this might be a solution.

Another option would be part-time student status combined with a part-time job. This arrangement would provide some income to offset the extra years of tuition.

In any case, it’s worth considering that education is not simply a race to the diploma or a race to the job market. Maturation can’t be arbitrarily accelerated.