A recent study from a Clinton School of Public Service graduate shows that concurrent enrollment and Advanced Placement courses are not uniformly credited at public universities in Arkansas. Enrique Carbone recently completed his master's in public service at the Clinton School and focused his research on outcomes for Arkansas students who took CE and AP courses. He says that higher education institutions are required to give a student college credits if they had a passing grade on their AP exam.
"But there's no specific number of credits that they are supposed to give you for whatever score. It's all up to their discretion, and it's really, I guess it's kind of deceiving to the students somewhat. And I don't think higher education institutions mean to do this, but it's genuinely just not standardized by the state."
Carbone spent time interning with the Arkansas Department of Education during the course of his study, which played a key role in his research. He says one of the reasons for the inconsistencies is the lack of communication with the different public institutions in the state.
"It seems that higher education institutions are silos to each other. They don't really communicate to each other very much, and they also are in competition. They're focused on increasing their own enrollment or enrollment numbers. It's not prioritizing the students, which make the whole purpose of higher education institutions, which that's where I have a problem with it."
He says he presented his findings to the department, which include starting concurrent enrollment and Advanced Placement courses early in your education, and if possible, take both CE and AP courses. He also says AP courses may be the ones that get the most attention, but CE courses are a little underrated.
"Concurrent enrollment still plays the biggest role in getting those recognized credits. The kids that are taking concurrent enrollment and advanced placement, clearly they're high achievers. But when we do look at concurrent enrollment and AP, even within that group of students that took both, concurrent enrollment is much higher."
Carbone says one idea he wishes he pitched the Department of Education involves AI. A thing he sees missing for students transitioning from high school to college is a shortage of counselors. His idea? An AI chatbot where students can get advice on their future education in the state.
"And I think that would one, promote these kids to go to schools in Arkansas. And two, would actually get these kids where they want to be."
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