Christian Reynoso works at the fig pantry while finishing up his requirements at Santa Rosa Junior College. He plans on becoming a graphic designer. PHOTO BY DYANN ESPINOSA
Those “lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer” seem to be getting fewer for high school students who plan on going to traditional four-year colleges. The once-simple college selection process has become a multi-year action plan involving not just grades, but also athletic pursuits, community involvement, and personal betterment, not to mention finding the funds to afford your college of choice.
But the ivy-covered campus is not the only path to a degree or credential. Today a variety of accredited schools have emerged, allowing alternatives to the traditional four-year route that may fit students’ interests, lifestyles and budgets. Many graduating high school students are opting for career colleges, online learning or beginning their higher education at a two-year community college.
California residents living at home can expect to pay approximately $624 at a community college for a 12-unit semester, compared to $3,137 at a four-year state college, or $6,850 at the University of California. Private schools average $22,750 per 12-unit semester, and books and supplies for each range between $1,242 and $1,551.
Online education costs vary, with some charging by the unit and others a flat fee. As an example, an AA degree course of study with 12 credits costs $1,217 at Milwaukee Area Technical College, and at Brigham Young University, online university classes are tiered, running $119 per general credit, $23 for enrichment courses, and “value” courses running $31 each. Prestigious schools like Harvard, Cornell, and Stanford all offer distance learning certificates in a wide variety of subjects and fields.
Whether you decide on a “bricks-and-mortar” institution or online, computer-based learning, a degree can make a difference in your future earning power. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, workers with a bachelor’s degree earn $51,206 a year, while those with an advanced degree make an average of $74,602. Workers with a high school diploma earn $27,915 and those without a high school diploma average $18,734.
Alternatives to traditional colleges
Two-year community college
Community colleges are open to everyone, and may be a good choice if you are not yet sure of a major. Providing smaller class sizes supports one-on-one assistance for those who need to work on their academic skills and better prepares students for college-level work.
Many students choose this economical way to take classes and build grade point averages. These schools offer flexible hours for working students who are pursuing an AA degree, or plan to transfer to a four-year school and finish with a BA credential.
Community colleges also have a surprising array of liberal arts and career-oriented degrees that four-year colleges don’t offer, such as fashion design, computer repair, electronics, food service technology, paralegal studies and hotel management, among others.
Shelby Ross graduated from Sonoma Valley High School four years ago with the goal of becoming a fiction writer. Circumstances required her to go to work and postpone college. In 2005 she started night school at Santa Rosa Junior College. “My work is flexible,” Ross said, “so I hope to switch to day classes soon.” Ross plans to transfer to a four-year college eventually to get a degree, and doesn’t regret the time spent away from school. “I feel it was a good experience and exposed me to working with the public and to learning to work with people.”
In California, more than half of California State College graduates, and nearly one-third of University of California graduates, started at a community college.
For Christian Reynoso, now 20 years old and in his second year at SRJC, the choice of a junior college was dictated more by its location and its cost. Reynoso, who works as front counter staff at the upscale fig pantry, has a specific career goal and is focused on pursuing it. “I plan to be a graphic designer working on computers,” said Reynoso. “Right now I’m completing all my requirements, and taking art history and design engineering. I like SRJC, it’s closer and cheaper and it’s a good school, and I’ll be prepared when I transfer.” Reynoso is also interning at a sign company to get some real world experience in the field of his choice.
Military service
The military is a traditional route to building character and getting an education while serving the country. Each branch of the service offers education and career opportunities of its own, and can best be explored by researching which branch fits your needs, skills and goals. The GI Bill helps enlistees cover the cost of a college education, with tuition assistance available even up to 100 percent of incurred expense. Additionally, the military offers special college loans, grants and even scholarships for qualified personnel.
Online or distance learning
Known by a variety of names, online learning is delivered primarily through a computer. Classes may include e-mail, chat and periodic face-to-face meetings. It is an excellent and flexible way to acquire a credential or degree, but not all students are good candidates, as online learning requires a great deal of self-discipline and motivation.
eLearners.com, a resource Web site, lists 139 accredited online colleges and universities and 23 vocational and trade schools. Prestigious names like Cornell University have degreed online programs such as Hospitality and Foodservice Management, Human Resource or Financial Management. Penn Foster offers certificates in Motorcycle Repair, Diesel Mechanics, or Auto Body Repair. The CSI Career College provides accreditation in the business and medical fields for such specialties as pharmacy technician, vocational nursing, and lab technician. Financial aid for online learning is available, but resource sites such as colleganduniversity.net caution students to check with the school of your choice to ensure your eligibility.
What do employers want?
In order to choose the best school, it helps to know what employers in the real world are looking for. Matthew T. Owens, director of human resources at The Lodge at Sonoma, one of the biggest hotels in the Sonoma Valley, first looks for people who don’t just want just a job – they want a job at his hotel because they believe it offers them the best opportunities.
“We look for people with a good attitude and experience,” said Owens. “If they are high school graduates, we look at whether they were in organizations like the Boy Scouts or church groups, or if they volunteer in the community.” These are the same essential qualities The Lodge looks for in management positions, though the range of experiences and activities will differ with age and experience.
Bolt Staffing, a placement firm for temporary or permanent employment, is located across from Sonoma Valley High, and that was a deliberate decision. Owners Joanne and Morgan Sanders recognize that today’s students are tomorrow’s work force. Bolt has an ongoing relationship with SVHS in which they provide graduating students the chance to do “mock” job interviews that prepare them for the real thing.
Joanne Sanders notes that some students may not be ready or able to go to college, but can benefit from working through an employer like Bolt. “We are able to give them a variety of work situations in diverse industries from wineries to oil refineries, and positions that range from event coordination to database administrator to technology jobs,” said Sanders. “One real plus is that future employers look at their resume and see that they have been steadily employed by one company, Bolt, as opposed to a smattering of companies that they have only worked at briefly.”
The Lodge’s Owens concurs. “We want to see stability in the job record, and we want applicants who have had to adapt to situations quickly, are interested in learning new job skills, and can get along well with fellow employees and hotel guests,” he said. The Lodge also has a tuition reimbursement program for employees who want to move up to jobs that require more training or a degree, and it is likely that other large institutions do so as well.
Sonoma Valley offers great opportunities in the wine industry, a rapidly growing market segment. The scope of jobs in wine runs from cellar rat to grape pickers, tasting room and hospitality personnel to retail or consumer sales, as well as chemist, winemaker and vineyard manager. What looks glamorous and fun-filled can be all that, said Grant Raeside, executive director of the Sonoma Valley Vintners & Growers Alliance, but it is also a lot of hard work. “Agriculture of any kind is hard, honest work that involves a lot of labor, long hours and, if you love the business, gives you a tremendous amount of satisfaction,” he said. Wineries want people with strong social skills, tact and diplomacy for hospitality and sales.
There are many paths to a successful and satisfying career. Happily, for almost every question or need, there is help available. There are online sites, counseling services, coaches, blogs and a myriad of organizations set up to assist families and students as they take the steps toward their future.
Comparative Costs
of Educational Options
Comparative cost per 12-unit semester, traditional four-year schools
Community College $624
State College $3,137
University of California $6,850
Private College $22,750
Comparative cost per 12-unit semester, online schools
Milwaukee Technical College $1,217
Brigham Young: general credit $1,428
Brigham Young: enrichment $276
Brigham Young: value course credit $372
Comparative annual earnings by education level
Advanced degree $74,602
Bachelor’s degree $51,206
High School diploma $27,915
Without High School diploma $18,734
