A more intense spotlight on college costs, student readiness and equal access is helping to increase the nationwide interest in programs that let high school students earn college credits. These programs are growing at a rate of about 7 percent per year, according to the National Alliance of Concurrent Enrollment Partnerships (NACEP). Adam Lowe, executive director of NACEP, estimates that more than 20 percent of U.S. high school students are taking at least one college course.Offering high school students the chance to take college courses for free or a low fee can help offset the rising cost of a college education, Lowe says. In addition, an increased focus on assessing college rea