What’s the difference between AP and dual enrollment programs?

AP courses are reviewed and approved by college faculty to make sure that every student who takes AP is being asked to do college-level work, no matter where they take it. AP Exams are a standard way to measure how well students have mastered the subject matter. Dual enrollment programs don't offer a standard way to measure whether students have mastered college-level work. Because of this, it's difficult for college admission officers to know the quality or difficulty level of any dual enrollment course.