Parkland High School provides many opportunities for students to indulge in their intellectual desires. Despite the variety of courses Parkland has, some students simply run out of courses to take that pique their interest and challenge them. Fortunately for rising seniors, they have another option for their education: dual enrollment at Lehigh University!
The Lehigh University High School Scholars program provides ambitious students with an opportunity to take college courses during their senior year. However, not all students that apply for this program are accepted. Students accepted into the program will choose up to three courses they wish to take at Lehigh University along with the required curriculum at Parkland High School.
“I decided to do dual enrollment to challenge myself since I felt bored with the coursework at Parkland,” elaborated Leon Chen (12), one of Parkland’s seniors taking courses at Lehigh. “I took a class at Lehigh called gender and society, which basically talks about the new definition of LGBTQIA+ in our society and how it’s really important to understanding one another, something I personally relate to.”
The classroom environment at Lehigh differs from Parkland’s because “all of the students are taking notes and engaging in much more sophisticated material while the Parkland setting seems more relaxed and friendly,” says Chen.
The program has several possible benefits for students. “My favorite part about dual enrollment is working together with the students in my class on the various homeworks and tests that we have,” remarks Chen. “I’m also able to wake up late on the days I do not have my Lehigh class.” Furthermore, students taking these classes can bolster their college applications. “I strongly believe that the Lehigh dual enrollment experience showed the admission officers that I was ready for college level coursework,” shares Chen.
Despite the benefits this program provides, it is not necessarily a good fit for all students. Students would need to transport between Lehigh University and Parkland High School for their classes, sometimes going from Parkland to Lehigh, then back to Parkland. In addition, the coursework itself is very rigorous. “I would only recommend it to students if they are willing to do the intense challenging coursework that is required in Lehigh courses,” advises Chen. Furthermore, while Lehigh will accept these classes for credit if you end up attending Lehigh University, it is not guaranteed that other universities will count these courses towards college credit. Despite all of this, the Lehigh University High School Scholars program is a great opportunity for Parkland’s most dedicated students to gain familiarity with collegiate coursework and atmosphere.
This article previously ran in the February print edition.
