Introduction

Early college and dual enrollment have been recognized as a growing field of enrollment for colleges and universities over the past five years. For the past five years, early college and dual enrollment has generated increased enrollment at colleges, particularly community colleges, when almost every other demographic has faltered. While educational statistics kept policymakers guessing about the number of students enrolled in dual enrollment or early college programs, recent changes have given us a fuller picture of the over 2 million students involved. This growth is not guaranteed for the future, and institutions will need to be smart about investment in programs and building structures that are sustainable and scalable. Unless leaders continue to invest in dual enrollment and early college, and if they regard it simply to prop up faltering enrollment numbers, programs will plateau in enrollment and then decline.