Hollister
– Only one in three San Benito High School seniors is eligible
for entry into a four-year state university, about on par with the
state average according to recent figures, but local educators say
their students are becoming increasingly interested in college as
opposed to entering the workforce a
fter graduating.
Hollister – Only one in three San Benito High School seniors is eligible for entry into a four-year state university, about on par with the state average according to recent figures, but local educators say their students are becoming increasingly interested in college as opposed to entering the workforce after graduating.
“When I started teaching AP (Advanced Placement) math, we’d have between 20 and 30 kids,” said Dan Quinn, SBHS math teacher. “Now we have over 60 kids in the program… when I talk to kids in my stats class, they all know they’re going to college.”
According to figures compiled from last year’s graduating class reported in the Academic Preparation Program Reference and Information System, just under 33 percent of the senior class had met entrance requirements for a California State University or University of California campus, compared to a state average of 29.6 percent. In order to be eligible for admission, students must complete a certain level of coursework in English, mathematics, social studies, science, the fine arts and, for the UC system, foreign language.
“I think the entrance requirements have gotten more rigorous over the years,” said Jim Caiffero, SBHS guidance counselor. “There’s a new emphasis on passing Algebra II and chemistry, but in the past those haven’t been as important. So kids who are serious about college are just going to have to plug away a little harder.”
Students looking to attend a four-year school also typically are required to get a score of 1,000 or better on the SAT, depending on the university. According to APPRIS, 18.4 percent of SBHS students who took the SAT during the 2004-2005 school year got a score of 1,000 or better, compared to a state average of 19.4 percent. The SAT is not a mandatory exam, only 35 percent of seniors opted to take it.
On top of these requirements, college-bound seniors are expected to assemble a resume of after school athletics, club involvement and community service to demonstrate that they are “well-rounded individuals” and stand out above the competition.
It’s no surprise then, that only 10 percent of last year’s graduates attended a CSU school and fewer than 5 percent opted for a UC school, while over 40 percent chose to attend community college, where students can satisfy general education requirements and later transfer to complete their major. To date, there is no way to track how many of those students have stayed in either four year or community college.
“I know a lot of kids who are eligible for a UC or CSU, but really it’s a matter of personal choice,” said Caiffero. “A lot of them would rather kick back at home for a while, save some money, and figure out just what it is they want to do.”
In a voluntary survey of graduating seniors conducted in 2004 and 2005, however, 8 percent more students said they planned on attending community college and 7 percent more planned on attending a four-year school in 2005 than in 2004.
“I think it’s important to note that most of our students plan on continuing their education after high school, whether that’s technical school or a four-year college or something else,” said SBHS Superintendent Jean Burns Slater. “Community college is a great option for some students, particularly for parents who aren’t ready to let their children go yet. With the way college life can be portrayed in films and the media, it’s understandable if people are a little leery of it.”
SBHS counselors will be conducting the same survey later in the month to see where this year’s graduates stand with their post-graduate plans.
Regardless of how many students SBHS sends out into the world of post-secondary learning, educators agree that a commitment to college must be fostered in children before they even get to high school.
“You have your Palo Altos and your Mountain Views where going to college and taking education seriously is an invisible part of the culture, sort of in the way that everyone here knows what it means if you say you’re a Haybaler,” said Chuck Schallhorn, social sciences department chair. “It’s that attitude that sets our children up for success before they even think about going to college.”
Danielle Smith covers education for the Free Lance. Reach her at 637-5566, ext. 336 or ds****@***********ws.com
