Student loan forgiveness and the cost of college has been in the news a lot recently, and with good reason.

Millions of Americans have student loan debt, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, totaling more than $1.6 trillion. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, it cost $1,545 to attend a four-year, public college in 1968-69; that amount is now $29,033 in 2020-21, far more than the cost of inflation on other goods and services.

It stands to reason, then, that anything a high school student can do to gain college credits while in high school is going to keep future costs down.

Warren County School District students with an eye on college can do just that by taking advantage of dual enrollment courses. The district has received a $75,000 state grant to help the district cover the cost of tuition for college accredited dual enrollment programs in the coming school year. The district currently has contracts with five such programs and is looking to add a few more. Eric Mineweaser, Warren County School District director of curriculum instruction and assessment, recently told the Times Observer students should ensure any courses they elect to take fit into their plans.

“Students should be working with their school counselors, as well as the higher education institutions regarding registration and enrollment into courses,” Mineweaser said. “They should also be working with their school counselors to see whether the courses they are electing to take count as a core or elective credit. One final piece of advice is that students should always check with any college or university they are interested in attending to ensure that the dual enrollment credits will transfer to those institutions.”

High school students with an eye on college should be sure to take advantage of these dual enrollment programs. A little work now can save a ton of money later.