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Chaparral 2018-2019: 27.4 Why GCC?

Why GCC?

In considering how we market our school to students, one important question comes up: Why GCC? Students in the L.A. area have no shortage of colleges to choose from, and the choice doesn’t always come down to whichever is closest or most convenient; in fact, you’ve likely had students commuting from all over the L.A. area to attend GCC over other schools. If we can articulate what makes GCC so special, maybe we can also help potential students to see the value in a GCC education. So while it would be important to ask our students themselves why they chose GCC, it’s also valuable to see how our faculty and staff would answer that question.

Here are some of your answers to the question: Why GCC?

Michael Dulay

My first responses include the following:

Why GCC?

  • The first year of college is FREE.
  • We are among the top transfer institutions in the State.
  • Compared to ALL colleges in the country, GCC ranked 7th in Mobility Rate*.
  • Follow the path of Leland Hartwell, GHS and GCC alum who won the Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine.
  • We have an affordable, excellent Study Abroad Program.
  • We have an elite cross country, baseball, and women’s basketball program.

* Measures a student's ability to move up two or more income quintiles. GCC beat all the UCs, USC, Harvard, etc. See:  https://news.berkeley.edu/2017/01/18/berkeley-among-top-u-s-universities-for-upward-mobility/

Rory Schlueter

  • Our faculty are professional educators, with accomplished advanced degrees who are not pressured to publish research.
  • Our smaller class sizes enhance the education experience.

Rosemarie Shamieh

GCC's noncredit program is the 2nd largest in LA County (as reported by the Chancellor's Office). The programs are rigorous and purposeful with the majority culminating in state approved certificates. Students can enroll anytime during the year tuition free and start taking career classes; courses are designed to improve math, computer, basic education, writing, and language skills for a vocation, personal development or intellectual growth.

Jean Lecuyer

  • We have one of the largest and best collaborative learning programs in the country.
  • Our biology graduates have the best transfer record to UCLA of any college in the Los Angeles area.
  • We were the first institution west of the Mississippi to have the new style full-dome-video planetarium and most other colleges haven't caught up with us yet in that area.
  • We have a very strong science program with undergraduate research opportunities and a special marine biology station in Baja California.
  • Over the years we have placed more students in the JPL internship program than all other community colleges combined.

Paul Mayer

My son really wanted to go to UCLA or UC Berkeley after high school, but he didn't get in. His choice was to go to UC Riverside or try again after finishing his A.A. in political science here at GCC. He had 35 AP units from high school; GCC gave college credit for all but one these classes, so he only needed one year before he could transfer to a four-year institution. This would not have been possible had he gone to a Cal State or another UC.

More importantly, the classes he took here at GCC remain his favorite as they were much smaller than the ones he later took at UCLA. Further, unlike his UCLA professors and TA's, who were rather unapproachable, his professors and counselors here were always available and showed an actual interest in his development

Because of their encouragement and everyone's hard work, and because the state law requires UC's to reserve seats for community college transfers, Nick was able to transfer to UCLA and later graduate summa cum laude. We all agree this probably wouldn't have happened without his first coming to GCC.

Rhona Blaker

  • We have instructors who truly care about students and are available for help in all disciplines.
  • Student work is assessed by professors, not teaching assistants.

Roger Bowerman

And the Governor's proposed budget includes a 2nd year free. So, if it survives the budgeting process, that means students will have TWO years of college tuition free!

Troy Davis

We offer a variety of Counseling and support from Academic, to Career and Major interest, to Mental Wellness. In addition, we provide a variety of Counseling courses to help students understand the complexities of the transfer process to a university, or assisting in achieving student's personal goals.

Angine Aslanian

We have incredible college programs for high school students that provide access and opportunity:

Jumpstart Dual Enrollment
www.glendale.edu/dual

Early College Academy @ Hoover High School
Where high school student can earn both a high school diploma and complete 2 years of college in the time it takes to go to high school!
www.glendale.edu/earlycollege

Early College Acceptance Program (ECAP)
Students receive: priority registration & $500 For books! (ECAP students who enroll in 12 units for Fall 2019 & Spring 2020 will receive a $250 voucher each semester).
www.glendale.edu/ecap

& more!

OUTREACH
www.glendale.edu/sos

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