If you’ve ever been unsure about the school you’re attending, maybe you should be thinking about what it is you want to get out of school.The San Mateo County Community College District offers everything you could want in terms of general education, as well as transfer opportunities when it comes to moving on to a 4-year university. In the meantime however, many students are working in community college towards a specific goal.
In the SMCCCD there exist three college campuses: Cañada, Skyline, and College of San Mateo (CSM). Each of these colleges is a good choice to go to school. However, as each person is different, the specific goals of any given student may not be met by the school they are currently attending.
As a way to help those still unsure of themselves and the school that they should be attending, here is a breakdown of the three campuses in the SMCCCD, what each of them offers and which school is right for you.
Skyline sports
WrestlingBaseballSoccerVolleyball (women’s)Basketball (men’s)Badminton (women’s)
Skyline exclusives
Japanese Automotive Surgical TechnologyRespiratory TherapyEsthetician Program (facials, makeup in cosmetology)
Located just off of Skyline Boulevard, Skyline is aptly named for its location, as well as the fact that it just makes sense, as it seems everything else on that street is named “Skyline Something-or-other.”As the mid-sized campus in the district, Skyline offers a very wide array of services to students.
In terms of sports, Skyline has a variety of competitive varsity teams, including but not limited to baseball, soccer, and basketball.
In addition, Skyline is also home to Jump Start, a program designed to help students whose GPAs are below 2.0 in getting their academic careers back to a place that they can be successful in college.
When asked about what she thought about the environment of the college, Judith Redwine, Skyline’s vice president of student services, said, “Skyline College is large enough to offer a full array of programs and small enough that individual students won’t feel overwhelmed.”
Cañada sports
BaseballSoccerBasketballVolleyball (women’s)
Cañada is the smallest of the three schools in the district. It is also the only school in the district considered a Hispanic-Serving Institution, which means the total student population of the school must be at least 25 Hispanic. But don’t let this mislead you into thinking Cañada is not ethnically diverse. While being one of the northernmost Hispanic-Serving Institutions in the state, the college boasts 60 percent of its students being of ethnic diversity.
Located on Cañada’s campus is the first legislatively designated University Center at a California community college, at which you can find help in attaining a bachelor’s or master’s degree. In addition to the University Center, Cañada also offers the First-Year Experience program, to help college freshmen get a full orientation into the college experience.
The Middle College program allows high school students to attend college classes, while finishing their high school education requirements on a college campus. The Upward Bound program helps low-income first-generation high school students with the transition to college both financially and through counseling support.
Cañada offers a variety of competitive sports programs which regularly compete with the other campuses in the district, allowing students the opportunity to prove to everyone that their school is the best.
The CBET (Community-Based English Tutoring) program provides ESL (English as a Second Language) instruction for parents in the community, helping them to have better relations with their students’ teachers and to assist their students with elementary and high school.Cañada also offers an off-campus ESL program located at the Moonridge complex in Half Moon Bay.
In addition to the extra programs, the school has exclusive programs in fashion design, medical assisting, and engineering. Cañada is also home to the only drama department in the district.
What Cañada lacks in exclusive courses, it more than makes up for in student services aimed at helping students achieve their academic goals.When asked about what she thought of the college, Cañada’s Vice President of Student Services Phyllis Lucas-Woods said, “Although Cañada College is one of the smallest community colleges in the Bay Area, it offers personal service and unique programs that students won’t find anywhere else.
“We have friendly people who will work with students to help them achieve their academic and career goals, and we value the wide variety of students who bring diversity and cultural awareness to our campus.” She added, “Those of us who work and teach at Cañada College are honored to serve students and will do all we can to make their experience with us successful.”
CSM sports
Men’sFootball (Only Program in the District)BaseballTrack and FieldCross CountrySwimming
Women’sWater PoloSoftballCross CountryTrack and Field BasketballSwimming
CSM exclusives
WeldingMetal and Machine toolDental AssistingFire TechnologyDrafting (2 Dimensional Design)Graphic ArtsBuilding InspectionNursing DegreeHorticultureFloristryLandscape ManagementNursery Management.
If you’re looking for a big campus, with lots of different sports to choose from as well as a wide variety of academic programs, look no further than the College of San Mateo. In addition to being the largest of the district’s three schools, it is also home to a great number of academic programs exclusive to the campus, as well as the largest array of sports programs in the district.
Not to say that the other schools don’t have excellent sports programs, but the school with the most extensive list would have to be CSM. With five men’s teams and seven women’s teams, CSM is home to the only football team in the district.
So there you have it. No matter where you are in the San Mateo Community College District there really is something for everybody. The challenge now comes down to deciding for yourself, what it is that you want and where it is that you want to be.
“Community colleges are known for their services to students,” Said Patricia Griffin, vice president of student services for CSM. “College of San Mateo has among the best and most comprehensive student services available anywhere, with faculty, staff and administrators who are dedicated to helping our students achieve their educational goals.”
Information provided by:
Judith Redwine РSkyline College Phyllis Lucas-Woods -Ca̱ada College Patricia Griffin РCSM Gary Dilley РCSM Michael Claire РCSM
