Seventy-six percent of new Gwinnett Technical College students say the school was their first choice, not a backup plan.
That finding, from the college's 2026 new-student survey, reflects a shift that local families can see up close. At Gwinnett Tech's Alpharetta-North Fulton campus on Old Milton Parkway, dual enrollment is growing in programs such as cybersecurity, business management, welding and medical front office, the North Atlanta Star reported Thursday, Sept. 10.
Dr. Kohle Paul, vice president of student affairs, and Rebecca Alexander, vice president of academic affairs, told the Star that students are weighing cost, career outcomes and speed to employment more carefully than before. Career preparation and cost of attendance rank among the top reasons students pick Gwinnett Tech, they said.
For Paul and Alexander, that reflects a shift in the familiar college debate: the question is becoming less "Do I go to college?" and more "What kind of education makes sense for the career I want?" the Star reported.
What dual enrollment means for local high schoolers
The program is state-funded and open to students in 10th through 12th grade. Participants earn high school and college credit for the same course. For 10th graders, funding covers tuition, mandatory fees and textbooks for approved career and technical courses. For 11th and 12th graders, it also covers approved general education courses.
The state caps funding at 15 semester hours per student, according to Gwinnett Tech's dual enrollment page.
Nationally, about 2.8 million high school students took a dual-enrollment course in the 2023-24 school year, a 12.7% jump from the prior year, according to U.S. Department of Education statistics cited by Education Week.
How credits transfer and lead to jobs
Gwinnett Tech reports a 99% overall job placement rate for graduates and a 91.9% in-field placement rate. The college has expanded stackable certificates, letting students earn a shorter credential, enter the workforce and return later for an associate degree.
Credits can also transfer. Gwinnett Tech participates in statewide agreements that move general education credits into Georgia's public universities and independent colleges. Additional local agreements cover some technical coursework.
For students who qualify, the HOPE Grant pays $107 per credit hour, covering 100% of tuition for certificate and diploma programs. The HOPE Career Grant adds $500 per semester for students enrolled in nine or more credit hours in approved high-demand programs, according to Gwinnett Tech's financial aid page.
How to connect
The Alpharetta-North Fulton campus is at 2875 Old Milton Parkway. The admissions office is open Monday through Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:45 p.m., and Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. Families can call (470) 282-5400 or email [email protected].
Gwinnett Tech is holding a Dual Enrollment Quick Admit Day on Monday, Sept. 21, at its Lawrenceville campus from 1 to 4 p.m. No equivalent event has been announced for the Alpharetta location.
