UNDATED - A new study finds a surge in the number of Minnesota high school students taking classes worth college credit.  The report is from the Center for School Change at Macalester College.

Sauk Rapids-Rice Principal Erich Martens says they're seeing that trend as well.  He says students have three college credit options available to them.  One is Advanced Placement - or AP - courses.

And the third option is the Post Secondary option where students actually attend classes on a college campus.

Martens says the biggest benefit is that high school students can start working toward their college degree at no cost to them.

The report says about 21,600 Minnesota high school students took college courses in 2005, that number increased to just over 35,000 by 2010.

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