How do dual enrollment courses compare to college classes?

Yo, I'm taking some dual enrollment courses at a local college while in high school, and I'm wondering if these classes are similar in difficulty and depth to the classes I'll encounter once I'm actually in college full-time. Are they a good indicator of what to expect, or is college going to feel like a whole new ball game? If anyone's been through both and can share their experiences, that would be super helpful!

Hey there! My daughter had a similar experience with dual enrollment courses during her high school years. From what we've seen, dual enrollment classes are designed to mirror the college experience, but the intensity can really depend on the college they're taken at and the professor teaching them. For my daughter, the dual enrollment courses provided a solid foundation and a glimpse into college-level work which helped her transition more smoothly once she got to university. However, once in college full-time, she did notice that some courses were more rigorous, especially upper-level ones specific to her major. As an example, her dual enrollment English class was a good prep, but her college biotechnology classes demanded much more in terms of lab work and research. All in all, she found dual enrollment to be a valuable head start, but do anticipate a step up in expectations and workload when you dive into your chosen field of study in college. But don’t let that scare you; think of it as climbing the academic ladder - you're just getting to the next rung a bit sooner! Best of luck with your courses!