Message, Hope, and Reality: How Do Latinx Students Access Dual Credit and Leverage Their Experiences in Engineering Programs?

This study examined dual credit as a popular approach to address Latinx students' college readiness, particularly in engineering programs. Using Yosso's Community Cultural Wealth model (2005), this qualitative, phenomenological study investigated the lived experiences of 10 Latinx students as they gained knowledge about dual credit programs, accessed the courses, and leveraged their dual credit experiences as engineering college students. Our findings reveal students learned about dual credit opportunities from teachers, advisors, and counselors. In turn, students relayed dual credit information to their parents. Aspirational capital emerged as dual credit shaped the students' hopes and dreams for college and career paths. Finally, dual credit informed students' navigational capital as they transitioned to engineering programs. Although dual credit did not shorten the students' time to graduation, it created a buffer for their semester course load, thus allowing for electives. Dual credit also familiarized students with the overall structure for college courses. Recommendations for dual credit programs and future research are offered in the discussion and implications section.