Motivation: Why are Students Taking Dual-Credit Courses

With a growing number of high school students taking advantage of dual-credit courses, the need to understand what motivating factors are at play is more important than ever. This study was conducted within an 11th grade dual-credit history class for the purpose of discovering what motivated those students to enroll in a college level course while still in high school. Participants in the study were given the opportunity to reflect on their decision to enroll in dual-credit through a focus group and individual interviews as well as a survey. The data collected through these methods was analyzed using the constant comparative method and coding as well as descriptive statistics. After the completion of data analysis, four major themes became apparent including, the desire to challenge oneself, the ability to earn college credit, receiving encouragement, and an understanding of the benefits that one could receive