International students with goals of attending a U.S. college or university may feel discouraged at the many obstacles that they have to navigate when planning how to pursue their educational goals in the future. For example, applying for a student visa or wondering if their transcripts will be accepted can feel like more time and effort than they are worth.
As a result, this can also affect a student’s retention in their local school system. If they feel like they cannot see a clearer path to their educational desires, they may instead decide to end or pause their education and turn their time to something else.
By reducing the burden of many of these obstacles, educators across the globe can improve retention in schools and engage further with their classes. One of the most effective ways to accomplish this is by offering a simple dual diploma program that allows students to also earn U.S. high school credits while completing their courses at your institution.
Why Offer a Dual Diploma Program to Your Students?
There are many reasons that a dual diploma program can benefit students who desire to pursue post-secondary education in the U.S. Three benefits in particular, however, include:
No Additional Time Required
Students are earning U.S. and local credits simultaneously as they complete the program. They can be taken in a short span of time or spread out throughout a standard high school curriculum.
Increase Student Recruitment
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic restricting international travel for many around the globe, the U.S. had over one million international students attending its colleges and universities. As of 2022, more than nine hundred thousand international students continue to seek educational opportunities at American institutions.
There still exists a strong global appetite for American post-secondary education. Students that share these goals may be more likely to attend your school if they know that they can also work toward becoming accepted abroad at their desired college or university by completing your dual diploma program.
Affordable Tuition
Dual diploma programs are designed to be highly concentrated and targeted to the student’s specific academic needs. As a result, the tuition rate proves incredibly affordable since they will not need to pay for more than a few courses to complete the curriculum requirements.
How Does This Increase Student Retention in Schools?
When a student believes their educational pursuits will build toward something greater, they are more likely to feel motivated to perform in their classes and attend regularly. You can offer them a clearer path toward accomplishing their academic goals, which in turn can inspire them to continue completing your curriculum.
Typically, a dual diploma program necessitates between 5 and 10 courses to be completed throughout their entire high school curriculum to satisfy the requirements for a U.S. diploma. If your school policy allows, you may be able to offer these courses in place of electives to help your students save additional time.
How to Create a Dual Diploma Program at Your High School
Educators and school system administrators need to balance a chaotic schedule on a regular basis. From ensuring the schools are safe, well-supplied, and running smoothly to budgeting and managing a large staff, it can seem like adding a dual credit program adds another responsibility to an already long list.
Thankfully, incorporating dual diploma programs is a rather straightforward task that doesn’t require much effort other than some communication. At Citizens High School, we have a simple three-step process that you can easily follow.
First, we ask that you provide us with course names, descriptions, and outcomes of 18 specific courses that you desire or require all students to complete. We will review them to ensure that we can accept them as transfer credits.
After this, we will send a list of courses that students can pick from to complete their mandatory 6 courses from us. This allows students to see what courses they will need to plan for in the future to establish a transcript that will be accepted at most colleges and universities in the U.S.
Lastly, you decide when your students can take the courses that we offer through your school. To help spread the word among your student body, we will also supply you with marketing materials to help promote your new program.
Start a Dual Credit Diploma at Your Own School
At Citizens High School, we partner with global high schools to equip administrators with more educational opportunities to offer to their students. Our dual diploma program creates a straightforward and affordable path to helping your student body achieve their long-term educational goals so that they can work toward the lives they have always dreamed of.
To learn more about how you can partner with us to offer your own 6-course dual diploma program for your high school, contact us today.
