Is Middle College Right for Your High School Student?

Parents weigh many factors to choose a school that best meets their child’s needs, strengths, learning styles and goals. As they face the complicated college application process, some parents may seek an alternative to traditional high schools. Middle college is one option—a unique, public high school experience located mostly on community college campuses.

What is Middle College?

Designed to serve students for whom traditional public high school doesn’t hit the mark, middle college offers an application-based, academically rigorous college program simultaneously with high school graduation required classes. Students, often the first in their family to attend college, take core courses like English, math and history from high school teachers while enrolled in free community college courses. High school staff help a small student body navigate course selection and study skills, and to obtain low-cost books.

Middle college is not a new concept. San Diego County’s first one, Grossmont Middle College High School (GMCHS), opened in 2001.

“All our community college classes are directly transferable to the CSU and UC systems, guaranteed,” says GMCHS Counselor and Program Director, Jason Martinez. Typically, middle college graduates have a full year of college coursework under their belt upon completion of the program.

Who Can Apply?

California mandates that middle college’s primary role is to support motivated students who otherwise might not consider higher education. Prospective students can live within school boundaries or apply for an interdistrict transfer.

Martinez states enrollment at GMCHS is open to nearly any 11th or 12th grader who shows interest, is capable, and does not have major behavior challenges. He recruits students at local public high schools and charter schools.

At recently opened Poway to Palomar Middle College (PPMC), students apply as sophomores so they can start as 11th graders. Principal Patty Hurtt says the school recruits 80 percent of their students with a 2.0–2.9 GPA.

The Benefits

1) Guaranteed Transferable Credit to CSU and UC Campuses

Middle college’s biggest draw is the opportunity to get a head start on earning university credit.

2) Nurturing, Small Environment

Hurtt reports that the interview process allows staff to get to know what each student needs to be successful. A small student-to-staff ratio ensures students receive individualized support and don’t fall between the cracks.

“PPMC provides personal attention. The teachers, staff and principal really know our child and build a community of support,” says parent MaryEllen Danforth.

With a caseload of only 70–120 students, counselors provide personalized attention for college applications and financial aid. Students regularly go on to attend top tier universities in California and beyond.

3) Student-Centered Internships

PPMC requires all students participate in an internship. Students choose an area of interest, gain experience and discover if they’d like to pursue the field further.

For parent Shelley Rahim, the internship component was a deciding factor in enrolling her son. “Our son learns best by doing, so when we found out that students spend eight hours per week interning, we knew we wanted to try it,” she says. “PPMC has given our son the tools to dig deep and discover his strengths. His internship at an elementary school has built selfawareness and opened new possibilities for a career path.”

Success Story

Mustafa Zewar, a sophomore at Yale University, describes his journey at GMCHS as infinite with potential. “I arrived in America from Kurdistan, Iraq in late 2016, unfamiliar with the ins and outs of American education and the college application process. Four years later, I was choosing between Yale and Stanford.”

Zewar reports that the opportunity to take community college classes that could be used toward a Bachelor’s Degree unlocked a higher echelon of education. “Surrounding myself with highly intelligent professors and students at age 16 was incredibly formative,” he says.

Limitations

Middle college doesn’t provide an ideal fit for every college-bound student for two key reasons:

1) The small schools don’t have resources to provide the range of extracurricular activities found in traditional comprehensive high schools. “Theoretically, students can participate in activities at their local high school, but few do,” says Martinez.

For Zewar, this was just another challenge to rise above. “I had to brave the real world. Being an assistant music teacher, shadowing a psychologist, and co-founding an educational reform organization are not things I would have done at a typical high school.”

2) The program is geared for academically inclined students who are motivated and able to do the college coursework (which is not watered down) without much guidance.

“We do serve special education students who can handle the curriculum with support,” says Hurtt. v

Cherie Gough is a freelance writer and college essay coach. Find her on Instagram @cgoughwrites.

Feb. 2023 Sandiegofamily.com