April 15, 2026
At first, Danielle Giramariya wasn’t sure what to expect when she saw a concurrent enrollment preparatory course on her sophomore year class schedule at Aurora Central High School. Encouraged by her advisor, she decided to give it a try. Now as a senior preparing to graduate this spring and transition into adulthood, she’s grateful that she seized the opportunity.
They were talking about college classes, and I was like, why not? This seems like a great opportunity,
said Giramariya. And I continued to take them because I found out it does help you get closer to graduating from college earlier.
Giramariya plans to attend the University of Northern Colorado to pursue a degree in biochemistry, with a significant portion of her general education coursework already complete. Although it usually takes about four years to complete the degree, the concurrent enrollment program gave her a head start.
Because I’m completing most of my general education college credits, I won’t have to take as many classes in college,
said Giramariya. I’ll be taking more classes that count toward my major, and I think it’s going to make college a lot more affordable.
For many high school students, the transition to life after graduation can feel uncertain. The Community College of Aurora’s (CCA’s) concurrent enrollment program helps students take control of that future by earning college credit for free while exploring pathways that lead to careers, degrees and economic mobility. It’s designed to provide a seamless transition from high school into higher education or the workforce, regardless of a student’s chosen path.
Because of benefits like these, concurrent enrollment at CCA is gaining popularity. The total number of concurrent enrollment students at CCA has almost doubled from 2021 to 2025. During the fall 2025 semester, 67% of the total student population were high school students in concurrent enrollment courses.
That trend is expected to increase with the launch of CCA’s Momentum Scholarship in fall 2026. The scholarship will automatically provide full tuition coverage for eligible Aurora Public Schools graduates who completed at least one concurrent enrollment course during high school, further reducing financial barriers and encouraging continued education.
A Stable Transition To Self-Sufficiency After High School
For students like Lily Zamora, concurrent enrollment provided both flexibility and clarity while exploring possibilities for the future.
My advisor told me it would be a really good option for me. She said it was free of charge and that you get college credit, and the college credit was what really enticed me to take concurrent enrollment courses,
said Zamora. I knew that would put me ahead in the game.
After graduating from Overland High School in 2024 with college credits already completed, Zamora enrolled at CCA. She initially intended to study architecture, but ultimately decided to pivot. This spring, she’ll graduate from CCA with both an Associate of General Studies and an Associate of Arts in Business. It’s an achievement she attributes, in part, to her early start.
I kind of hesitated at first, and I’d tell current high schoolers, don’t hesitate, just do it. At the end of the day it’s going to count towards your future,
said Zamora.
WHAT TO EXPECT WITH CONCURRENT ENROLLMENT
Depending on the high school, concurrent enrollment classes are available online, on campus, or directly within high school classrooms. The variety of class formats makes participation accessible and adaptable to students’ needs. For Giramariya at Central and Zamora at Overland, they maintained their high school experience and took most of their CCA courses in their high school buildings.
Rahsa Jabbar, a senior at Colorado Early Colleges, began taking concurrent enrollment classes during her freshman year. Much of her coursework has been online, but she also attended some classes at CCA’s CentreTech campus.
The college classes I took at CCA felt more mature and a little more challenging,
said Jabbar. But CCA has a very good support system. All of the teachers and the staff are very kind. They want you to succeed. They want to help you, and they will.
Jabbar utilized CCA’s tutoring services for help in one of her math classes and found herself overcoming the initial challenge. It’s one of the many student support services CCA provides.
Zamora, reflecting on the transition from high school to college, recognizes that concurrent enrollment helped prepare her for the workload of college. She encourages students who have taken honors classes that concurrent enrollment is very similar.
You’re doing the same work but you’re getting college credit out of it which is an amazing perk,
said Zamora. The teachers are also there to help. They’ve been trained to do this. I’d tell current high school students to just try their best. If they feel like they’re struggling, go to tutoring or teacher office hours. It really helps a lot.
Concurrent enrollment at CCA is a launchpad for long-term success. By reducing the cost of college, accelerating degree completion and building confidence in college-level coursework, the program equips students with the tools they need to thrive.
As more students and families seek affordable, flexible pathways into higher education and the workforce, CCA continues to expand access to programs that meet learners where they are and help them get where they want to go.